A Liberal councillor inspired by US President Donald Trump's immigration policies has proposed a border wall be built around inner-western Sydney to solve the area's parking woes.
Councillor Julie Passas said she decided to submit the "tongue-in-cheek" motion to Inner West Council after a local resident complained he could not park on his street because cafe staff took up the spaces.
It recommends four steps of action be taken, including "contact President Trump for his wall-building contractor (US/Mexico) to construct a wall around the Inner West."
The notice also moves to ensure "any cars or people passing through the Inner West to pay a mobility tax to the Inner West Council" and that "passports be required for non-Inner West citizens".
"He [Trump] wants to keep Mexicans out and it seems we want to keep out neighbouring residents," Cr Passas told SBS News.
Sydney Inner West councillor Julie Passas. Source: Inner West Council
"It’s a wake-up call. I'm trying to say to the residents we cannot guarantee you a spot outside your home or even in your street."
Cr Passas said Sydney's Inner West had not had any major upgrades to its local streets in decades and the area struggled to keep up with the growing population.
She has also put up a separate motion to the council proposing old depots be used as holding yards for trailers and boats which are usually parked on streets to help free up space.
"When all these roads were built hardly anybody owned a car...Now there's three or four cars to a household," she said.
'Not a joke'
The Trump-style plan, which will be debated in council chambers on Tuesday night, has drawn harsh criticism from refugee advocates.
Greens councillor and social justice lawyer Tom Kiat told SBS News the motion was in "bad taste".
"We shouldn’t make a joke about the migration crisis we’ve got across the world and the way the governments are treating refugees," he said.
"The extreme reactionary border policies being adopted in the US were modelled from Australia's offshore detention policies."
Cr Kiat said he would not be voting in favour of the motion, and urged Cr Passas to spend more time on important issues rather than “publicity stunts”.
Greens councillor Tom Kiat criticised the motion to build a border wall around inner-western Sydney. Source: Facebook
“Lack of affordable housing, chronic under-investment by the state government … lack of open and green space, and environmental degradation intensified by climate change and development pressures,” he said.
Inner West Council said it had not noted any recent increase in parking complaints.
"All roads in the Inner West local government area are public roads. Anyone with a registered vehicle can park on them," a spokesperson said.
