- Mosman Council in Sydney banned a nativity scene from display in its chambers
- The scene was donated by five-time former mayor and suburb’s ‘favourite son’
- Council said hosting a religious event on its property was ‘inappropriate’
A NSW council is facing backlash after it banned a decade-old Christmas tradition to display a nativity scene donated by the suburb’s former mayor and ‘favourite son’.
Mosman Municipal Council, which is the local government area on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, announced it would no longer display the nativity scene in its council chambers’ foyer on Military Rd, Spit Junction.
Anthony Lopez, whose late dad Dom served as Mosman Mayor for five terms and was the one who donated the nativity scene, said the council were ‘grinches’ for refusing to display it.
‘He [my dad] donated the nativity scene to Mosman council knowing that it would be a yearly tradition,’ Mr Lopez told 2GB on Wednesday.
‘He’d be turning in his grave. He’d be disgusted that one of the true meanings behind Christmas can’t be celebrated.’
Dom Lopez died in 2012, four years after he donated the nativity scene to the community.
The former mayor, who is affectionately remembered as Mosman’s favourite son, donated it and asked for it to be displayed publicly for everyone to ‘enjoy’, according to the council’s minutes.
Anthony Lopez said the council made the decision without consulting the people of Mosman and urged residents to ‘stand up’ against the ban.
‘These decisions [were] made by supposedly people in charge without consultation with the people of Mosman,’ he said.
‘They want to be politically correct, which is not always right. People need to stand up to this because it’s becoming worse every day.’
The council told local pastor, Reverend Michael Crichton that government ‘is secular and hosting a religious event on council property was inappropriate,’ according to the Mosman Collective.
Mr Lopez fears other Christmas events might also be banned as the local government has been influenced by ‘cancel culture’.
‘These people make decisions because the cancel culture is out there, it’s totally wrong,’ Mr Lopez said.
‘What are they going to do next? Balmoral beach is where they have the carols are they going to ban that because that’s on council property?’
Mosman Council told Daily Mail Australia that it loves Christmas and organised a range of festive events including Carols by Candlelight on December 17, which will be attended by Mayor Carolyn Corrigan.
‘Mosman Council loves Christmas and our mayor will be attending the Council-designated community event Carols by Candlelight on 17 December, which we support free of charge, and at which we anticipate the blessing of the crib will be held,’ Mosman Council said.
‘We are also running our annual Christmas decoration competition for businesses and Christmas gift appeal for disadvantaged families.
‘We will be displaying Christmas banners, trees and decorations around Mosman and holding a popular Christmas Night Market as well as a range of other Christmas events.
Mosman Council explained it consulted with St Clement’s Church and decided that the church would be a better location for Christmas events.
‘Having consulted with St Clement’s Church, it was decided that a church or church gathering, such as the carols, would be an appropriate setting to host, fund and facilitate the event,’ Mosman Council said.