Selena Uibo accuses Jo Hersey of refusing to supply Aboriginal flag to Katherine school

A CLP member says accusations that she refused to supply a school with an Aboriginal flag are ‘petty political games’.

A CLP member has slammed an NT parliamentarian for playing “petty political games” after she was accused of refusing to supply an Aboriginal flag to a school in her electorate.

Arnhem MLA Selena Uibo accused Katherine MLA Jo Hersey of refusing a school in her electorate access to an Aboriginal flag.

Ms Hersey has denied the accusation.

Ms Uibo in Thursday’s parliamentary sittings said most local members worked to provide NT flags and “often” an Aboriginal flag to schools in their respective electorates.

Arnhem MLA Selena Uibo. Picture: Zizi Averill

Territory MLAs are each entitled to distribute up to five NT flags every year on request at the government’s expense.

Anyone can request an Australian, Aboriginal, or Torres Strait Islander flag from federal electorates, including the offices of Luke Gosling, Marion Scrymgour, Malarndirri McCarthy, and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

“(Mrs Hersey) sends schools from the Katherine electorate to my electorate office to ask for an Aboriginal flag because she refuses to support the Aboriginal flags for her schools,” Ms Uibo said during Thursday’s sittings.

“There are processes that as a local member – regardless of your politics – it is good practise to support your schools, whether it is the Aboriginal flag or the Territory flag.”

Jo Hersey presenting an Aboriginal flag to Macfarlane Primary School, Katherine. Picture: Supplied

Ms Uibo said she had a spare Aboriginal flag to give the Katherine school because all 17 of her electorate’s schools already had a flag to fly.

“Katherine constituents have reached out to my Arnhem electorate office for Aboriginal flags on three occasions,” she said.

“Every NT electorate office receives a decent electoral allowance that can be used at the discretion of the local member for electoral work and materials to support the community”.

There are seven schools in the Katherine electorate.

Mrs Hersey – who is also the Opposition Education Spokeswoman – denied Ms Uibo’s accusation and said she had “absolutely ordered in Aboriginal flags for schools” upon request.

“However, if they are needed urgently (I) have referred to Senators or members who may have them in stock,” she said.

“This is appalling behaviour by Selena Uibo to use her time in parliament to make these ridiculous baseless claims all the while standing by her colleague Brent Potter who has made disgusting racist posts.”

Originally published as Selena Uibo accuses Jo Hersey of refusing to supply Aboriginal flag to Katherine school