Conservative Councillor Announces He’s Joining With the Libertarians

A children's books section in a library in Albany, Western Australia, on April 22, 2024. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Conservative Cumberland councillor and former mayor Steve Christou has joined the Libertarian Party.

Christou took to social media platform X on Dec. 5 to announce the move.

“Happy to announce that I have joined the Libertarian Party,” he said.

“I love Australia and am sick of seeing Labor, the Greens, and the Teals, flush this great country down the toilet whilst the Liberal Party watches on refusing to do anything.

“I’m looking forward to working with a great team of people to make Australia great again.”

Christou said he believed the Libertarian Party had the country’s best interests at heart.

“Only a strong Libertarian Party will hold the major parties accountable and improve living conditions allowing all Australians to prosper,” he said.

Councillor Steve Christou Supplied by the Cumberland City Council

Known for his opposition to New South Wales’ COVID-19 lockdowns, Christou most recently made headlines for leading a motion to remove the book “Same Sex Parents” by Holly Duhig from Cumberland’s libraries.

Speaking in May, Christou, who represents the Granville ward, said the book went against the beliefs of many in the community.

“We are a community of deep family and religious values and I’m only expressing and will stay hard-fist expressing the views that represent our local community,” he said at the time.

The ban was later protested and overturned.

Conservative Outlook

Victorian Legislative Council for the South Eastern Metropolitan region and Libertarian David Limbrick, appear to share similar concerns to Christou.

Limbrick spoke in September about his concerns that taxpayers were funding a “Rainbow toolkit” program to encourage LGBT activity in the state’s libraries.

Libertarian MP John Ruddick also said in September that the party had big plans to provide a conservative voice in Australian politics.

“We’re a radically small government party, so we distrust the government, we think big government is dangerous. The smaller the government, the better,” Ruddick told The Epoch Times.

Ruddick also said the Libertarians planned to tackle the Teal candidates “head-on.”

The party is interested in all government tiers and has hopes for a federal senator, and state-level upper house representatives.

“We are pro-free markets and we are hoping to become sort of like the ‘right-wing’ version of the Greens,” he said.