Regional NSW council abandons plan to stop flying Aboriginal flag

A regional New South Wales council has abandoned a controversial plan to ban the display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags after receiving almost 700 submissions criticising the idea. Because of council procedure, the flags were removed anyway — at least temporarily.

The Federation Council stretches from Corowa on the Murray River to Urana and the Newell Highway in the federal electorate of Farrer. Mayor Cheryl Cook first floated the idea last November as part of an amendment to the council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait protocols document.

The proposal also sought to bar welcome to country ceremonies for council events unless they were "approved by an adopted council resolution." The proposal went out for consultation: of 884 public submissions, 78% opposed it and just 100 submissions (11.5%) supported it.

Australia, New South Wales

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