A plan to fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at a NSW war memorial has drawn strong criticism with the move labelled "retrograde" and an "insult".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Her suggestion came amid debate about a civic flag protocol which has since been circulated for public feedback.
It saw 70 per cent of respondents opposing the installation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait flags with many of those upset having military ties.
Among them was the Albury RSL sub-branch with vice-president Harry Hacking telling the council his members had unanimously passed a motion at a meeting last month.
It declared that the sub-branch "does not support the addition of any further flags at the Albury War Memorial".
IN OTHER NEWS:
Mr Hacking added "the RSL is a non-political organisation and would like to see local politics kept out of this discussion".
Coincidentally, RSL sub-branch president Graham Docksey is an Albury councillor but did not attend the meeting where the motion was put as he was holidaying.
Former navy member Oliver Jurd told council he would be "very surprised" if Indigenous personnel he served alongside would endorse the extra flags.
"I feel this would be a retrograde step as this great memorial already acknowledges ALL (sic) who have served under our Australian flag," Mr Jurd wrote.
Vietnam veteran Dennis Savage declared he would never attend another Anzac Day event if the flags were installed, stating "you will kill the Australian digger".
Former trooper and policeman Glen Fraser stated having the extra flags was an "affront" to the memory and bravery of the fallen and "would be a insult to these wonderful veterans" given it was part of a "political agenda" they knew nothing of.
One who supported the initiative stated it was a "total embarrassment" the flags were not flying at the memorial and another stated to not display the Indigenous flags in "key civic locations, now and in the future, is offensive and racist".
The issue is on the agenda for Monday night's council meeting with a proposal that money for the flag poles at the monument be left in the budget pending talks with the RSL.
Mr Hacking told The Border Mail the RSL was not interested in discussing it and feared being pressured by the council to fly the Indigenous colours.
"Once we get the two poles up they'll say 'you've got two poles up so you've got room for the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag'," he said.
