Albany, Western Australia: New campaign by outraged parents to restrict sex books for teenagers at a public library

A regional council has found itself at the centre of a book-banning controversy after a group of concerned locals pushed to have sex education material aimed at teenagers put into a restricted area.

The call to have the books removed from the Albany Public Library in Albany, on Western Australia's south coast, was made to the city's council during a May 28 meeting.

Representing the Keeping Children Safe Albany Committee, Michelle Kinsella petitioned the council to put books the group finds 'inappropriate' for children into an age-restricted area of the library.

The former One Nation candidate for Albany in the state's 2021 election said all adults should be 'appalled' that the material is freely available at a public library.

It comes after intense public scrutiny forced Sydney's Cumberland Council to backflip on a similar ban of sex education books at its public library in May.

Keeping Children Safe Albany has called on the local council to investigate the library's young adult catalogue for sexually explicit material.

They also requested 'inappropriate' books be placed in a restricted area of the library that are 'not on open display'.

If passed, anyone under the age of consent - 16 - who wishes to read those restricted books would then need to have consent from a parent or guardian.

Handing out photocopies of sections from the book 'Welcome to Sex' by Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes to those in the council chamber, Ms Kinsella claimed the book encourages the 'grooming' and 'sex abuse' of children.

The book was awarded 'Book of the Year for Older Children' by the Australian Publishers Association for 'its "no silly question" guide to sexuality and pleasure.

A month after winning the award in June last year, however, the book was temporarily pulled from store shelves in Big W amid wild backlash over its contents.

'They shouldn't be in our library, they shouldn't be on display and we want you to work with us so we can get this under control,' Ms Kinsella petitioned councillors, the Albany Advertiser reports.

In a video posted to Facebook on Monday, Ms Kinsella highlighted more books in the library's young adult section she says should be restricted.

'This is promoting the sexualization of minors, which, as far as myself and members of our community are concerned is a gross violation of our rights as parents to say what our children are exposed to,' she told followers.

'We've had enough, we're taking back our parental rights. 

'I get to decide, as a parent, what my 11-year-old's exposed to, not the library.'

The video also revealed a box of free condoms had been left next to the library's young adult section, which the former political candidate said she was going to remove and take to the council for an explanation.

'We're not going anywhere because we're going to win this fight,' Ms Kinsella said.

'Because my rights as a parent trumps a person who thinks this is acceptable to be legal.

'It's immoral, not in our community.'

City of Albany chief executive Andrew Sharpe said the library is an 'inclusive and welcoming space' which follows the Australian Library and Information Association's free access to information statement.

Mr Sharpe added the statement declares 'library and information services have particular responsibilities in supporting and sustaining the free flow of information and ideas'.

'The Albany Public Library is a public facility for use by all community members and is required to offer a service to all residents without discrimination,' he told the publication.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Albany Council, Albany Public Library, Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes for comment.

Just weeks prior to Ms Kinsella's appearance before the council, protests were held outside of Cumberland Council as they debated a recent ban on books about same-sex relationships.

The book, which is called Same-Sex Parents, features a gay male couple and their young son on the cover.

Councillor Steve Christou, who pushed for the original ban, told Daily Mail Australia that he opposed 'any form of sexualisation of our children, whether it's a heterosexual or homosexual'.

The ban was reversed with by a vote of 13 to 2 while demonstrators from both sides of the debate were separated by police outside the council in a tense standoff.