Gold Coast City Council hands out double-sided Australian and Aboriginal flags to new citizens

The Gold Coast City Council has found itself at the centre of a national controversy after it handed out double-sided Australian-Aboriginal flags to new citizens. Read who was behind it

A junior officer “made an error” which led to a double-sided Australian and Aboriginal flag being provided for Gold Coast City Council citizenship ceremonies, a councillor claims.

The council had ordered an unknown number of the flags - understood to be paid for out of ratepayer funds - and distributed them late last year before quietly binning them, the Australian revealed this week.

Outspoken Southport councillor Brooke Patterson on Thursday told The Australian she was alerted to the flags by concerned residents, and was shocked to find out the flag distribution had not been approved by any of the elected representatives.

“This was an idea that came from within the bureaucracy, without the elected reps being able to give any opinion on it,” she said.

This masthead can reveal it was due to a mistake by an employee. Council is yet to divulge the costs.

LIfestyle committee chair Glenn Tozer, when approached for comment, confirmed he had been briefed given his area covers events.

“A junior officer made an error based on a Sydney council’s previous events,” he said.

“The issue has been identified and pulled from distribution. No member of the public got it.

“Yes, it was ordered. There was a cost. The proper process in dealing with the complaint has been followed.”

Gold Coast Cr Brooke Patterson holding the combination flag handed out at Gold Coast citizenship ceremonies - she has had it changed after David Keys notified her of the flag. She said: “This was an idea that came from within the bureaucracy, without the elected reps being able to give any opinion on it.” Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

The City has been asked to provide details on how many flags were bought or ordered, what has happened to them and “who signed off” on the acquisition.

The City in a response said: “The matter is regrettable and the City apologises for any offence caused. The flags were distributed at two citizenship ceremonies in October but will not be used at future events. The matter is now under investigation.”

Federal Opposition Indigenous Australians spokeswoman Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price weighed in on the incident telling The Australian the dual-sided flag was “ludicrous” and showed a fundamental ignorance of the national flag’s meaning.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate’s office confirmed to The Australian the distribution of the flags had been cancelled at all future council-hosted citizenship ceremonies including an Australia Day event with 400 new Aussies expected to take the oath.

Mayor Tom Tate’s office said of the flag controversy: “A mistake was made and we have corrected the mistake.” Picture: Glenn Campbell

“A mistake was made and we have corrected the mistake,” a spokesman for his office told The Australian this week, adding it was an “operational matter” for the council’s CEO Tim Baker.

Ms Price told The Australian: “The Australian flag is representative of the Australian people and, therefore, I believe it should be the only flag that applies during Australian citizenship ceremonies.

“The Aboriginal flag is not a national flag. If they actually knew something about the Australian flag, they’d understand that Aboriginal people are represented through the Southern Cross. It’s ignorance on behalf of the council. Activism and division doesn’t bring communities together.”