Blackwood War Memorial to fly Aboriginal flag permanently after years of debate

After almost two years of debate and community pressure, the Aboriginal flag will be flown permanently at a prominent Adelaide war memorial.

The Aboriginal flag will soon fly permanently at the Blackwood War Memorial after almost two years of controversy between veterans and Mitcham council.

Elected members this month resolved to erect five new flag poles at Coromandel Parade, putting an end to a growing debate on whether the Aboriginal flag should be flown on a permanent basis.

The site currently has only three poles with flags stipulated by the Blackwood RSL.

Councillor Darren Kruse, who has campaigned for the Aboriginal flag to fly permanently at the site since January last year, said the decision came after months of “quiet diplomacy and patience”.

Indigenous elder Tamaru Kartinyeriwith Blackwood RSL’s Phil Cotton and Mitcham councillor Darren Kruse at the War Memorial in Blackwood. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

He said $40,000 had been allocated to replace the existing poles with five new poles of the same height.

Work should finish early next year, meaning the Aboriginal flag would fly permanently by Anzac Day, alongside the Australian flag, the state flag and the two service flags of the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force.

“Quiet diplomacy behind the scenes, patience and taking the RSL on a journey to see the light is the truth behind getting this (signed off),” Cr Kruse said.

“This now also shows the way for other councils with the same issue – meaning that if it takes two years to get a solution, so be it … as patience has really been the key.

“Flying the indigenous flag permanently is a very tangible solution to reconciliation and having this at the very heart of our community – the most prominent place – is a great outcome.”

The debate of whether to fly the Aboriginal flag on a permanent basis first made headlines in early 2020, following an online campaign by Cr Kruse on behalf of the Blackwood Reconciliation Group.

It sparked heated debate between council members and the Blackwood RSL, whose members felt that military service should be recognised under the same service flags for the majority of the year.

Some members also believed that flying the Aboriginal flag would segregate veterans on the basis of race.

Blackwood RSL president Phil Cotton said after years of debate it was time to end the war.

Concept image of the five new flag poles at Blackwood War Memorial Source: Mitcham Council

“We were never going to win this and we need to move with the times,” he said.

“It’s time to end the fight and focus on the club’s future and accept different individuals as they are all part of our community.”

Aboriginal elder Tamaru Kartinyeri said the agreement between Mitcham council and the RSL was a historic occasion.

“We’ve been trying for ages to get this to happen,” he said.

“We had Aboriginal people in all the wars, including Vietnam, and while it’s great that the RSL was flying the flag for Reconciliation and NAIDOC week, it’s even more special now that we’re going to see it flown permanently.”