Simon O'Connor

"It is deeply distressing that 3 years into a genocide there are still people in powerful positions who would repeat such lies and distorted facts on the ground." Words from the widow of journalist Roshdi Sarraj who @SenSHenderson falsely accused of being Hamas Full story 👇🏽

It's important to note that: A - the Shoalhaven councillors did not vote on this, CEO Andrew Constance decided it himself. Email correspondence and statements from organisers confirm that the final decision was an operational directive issued by the CEO alone. B - Andrew Constance, self-declared friend of Israel, based his alleged decision on Nowra suddenly being a hot-bed of antisemitism based on a report that he himself commissioned. Note - even the report he commissioned showed no mention of security problems, threats or counter protests, nor does this art exhibition have any history of that. No perceived threat of any kind is listed above medium and even then, it was on the organisers, not Council. It's almost as if Andrew Constance invented a perceived threat, pretended it existed and then used his invented perception as an excuse to cancel the exhibition. (link to screenshots from Shoalhaven resident, Steve Prothero. steveprothero.substack.com/p… ) .

Why did Shoalhaven City Council ban the Wall of Tears art display? Stay with me. Did you know former NSW Liberal MP Andrew Constance took a fully paid study tour of Israel a few years back? It was hosted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies & Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce, (chaired by Jillian Segal at the time, who we must presume approved all expenses) On his return, Constance firmly defended the foundational rights of Israel, stating on NSW parliamentary record: "The yearning to return to the land of Israel - and the right to return since its establishment - is fundamental." Constance also said in parliament: "To anybody who is in any doubt about the philosophical issues that are there (in Israel), I urge them to visit and see it for themselves." Over the years, former Liberal MP Andrew Constance has formally acknowledged and maintained strong professional relationships with key community organizations, particularly the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. In September 2025 after leaving NSW politics, Andrew Constance became the CEO of Shoalhaven City Council. There's always a trail.