Aboriginal community members in Gunnedah have launched a petition to have the Aboriginal flag displayed in the council chamber, after councillors voted to amend a proposed flag policy to say that they would hang the Australian flag alone.
The decision came at a heated Gunnedah Shire Council meeting on Wednesday, 16 September. A draft policy recommending four flags be displayed – the Australian, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and NSW state flag, in line with the national protocols – was overturned on the mayor’s casting vote.
Minutes after being elected Deputy Mayor, Rob Hooke moved the unexpected amendment to the seemingly uncontroversial policy, and delivered a speech that caused some on council to audibly gasp.
“The Gunnedah Council Action Reconciliation Group determined that council had the right to determine what flag or flags could be displayed within chamber,” he said.
“I strongly believe that this chamber represents all Australians that live within our LGA, and I don’t here feel that there should be any favour representing any other particular group within this shire, any more than we should be flying a flag of another country here, be it from Africa, be it from Asia, wherever it happens to be.”
“We are all here under the one flag, and I think that we run the risk, and I have thought this for a long time, that we can go too far in our reconciliation to the point we actually start to form segregation, and I would hate to see a reverse type of apartheid take place in this community.”
“I feel that this community is actually starting to fracture along the lines of of race, and it disturbs me that we’ve got some wonderful people within this community who are Indigenous in background, either either full indigenous or part indigenous, and those people are being segregated, and it is very very sad to see.”
“I hate feeling uncomfortable in this in this community, and in places, I do feel uncomfortable that I am actually not welcome here, in certain areas, and it it disturbs me greatly.”
Under his amendment, the Australian flag would hang alone along the rear wall of the chamber dais.
“And I really think that it is important that within this chamber we are representing everybody, and we don’t actually aspire to represent special interest groups, as good as it might be.”
“In this chamber, we focus on just being Australians. All of us are Australians, and we’re all under the one flag.”
Cr Kate McGrath, who sits on the plan’s working group and whose husband and son are Gomeroi, said the Aboriginal flag had been part of national flag protocols since 1995.
“The fact of the matter is, Gunnedah is 20 years behind the rest of the country when it comes to compliant displays of flags, and frankly, with an attitude like that, it’s not surprising,” she said.
Cr Juliana McArthur seconded the amendment. She said the remark about Cr Hooke’s attitude seemed like “a bit of a slur” and asked for it to be retracted. Cr McGrath refused and said she stood by her comments.
Cr Linda Newell said the four-flag display had been discussed with community members who saw it as a step towards reconciliation.
“These are our First Nations people, and I feel like they have a place in the chamber,” she said.
The vote on the amendment was tied at four votes each, after Cr Cameron Moore was denied permission to join the meeting by audiovisual link. Mayor Colleen Fuller used her casting vote to support the amendment.
The amended policy is on public exhibition for 28 days, and will come back to council with any feedback at the next meeting.
The flag policy was developed as an action under council’s Reconciliation Action Plan. Deputy Mayor Rob Hooke moved to amend it just days after council launched the plan.
Reconciliation Australia declined to comment, but confirmed it would contact council about the matter. Gunnedah Shire Council did not respond to enquiries.
The petition can be signed at Gunnedah Family Support, 206 Conadilly Street; Min Min Aboriginal Corporation, Marquis Street; and Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council, 26A Chandos Street. It can also be signed online here.
The draft flag policy and instructions on how to provide comments during the exhibition period by October 14 are on Council’s website.
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