NT Health Minister orders removal of LGBTQI+, Indigenous flags from Top End hospitals

The rainbow, transgender and Torres Strait Islander flags have suddenly been removed from Top End hospitals, with the Health Minister claiming they were not compliant with government protocols.

NT Health staff members representing the Department at the Top End Pride parade in 2022.

The Territory Government has ordered the removal of Pride flags from Top End hospitals, claiming the five-year-old diversity and inclusion displays were not compliant with “protocol”.

This masthead has been told by multiple sources the rainbow and transgender, alongside the Torres Strait Islander flags, were removed from both Palmerston and Royal Darwin Hospital on Tuesday.

It is understood a complaint to the Chief Minister’s office about the Palmerston display quickly resulted in a ministerial mandate being sent to the hospital executive teams, leading to the two Pride and Indigenous flag being taken down.

Health professionals, speaking anonymously, have said the change without any notice or communication was “appalling”.

Health Minister Steve Edgington claimed that the two LGBTQI+ flags and the Torres Strait Islander flag were not compliant with the government protocols and therefore the displays had to be “amended”. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

One told this publication it was “very concerning” an unnamed member of the public could “retaliate” against the LGBTQI+ community, by complaining directly to the minister to get the flags removed.

On Wednesday Health Minister Steve Edgington claimed the two LGBTQI+ flags and the Torres Strait Islander flag were not compliant with the government protocols and therefore the displays had to be “amended”.

“The longstanding Northern Territory Government protocol is to fly the Australian, Northern Territory and Aboriginal flags,“ Mr Edgington said.

“All NT Health facilities are required to comply with this protocol, and it was recently identified that some flag displays at hospitals were not compliant.”

This is despite the NT Government’s own Gender Equity Action Plan 2022-2025 celebrating the hospital flags as a “key achievements” in supporting gender identity diverse people, and the measure was also highlighted in the 2019-2022 NT Health Inclusion Strategy.

Another health professional said it was shocking and disappointing to have the flags removed so suddenly.

“There are staff who are completely bewildered — like myself — including some who are reasonably high up as well in exec who have also expressed concern,” they said.

“It’s just what it symbolises … we pride ourselves that good, inclusive healthcare is for everyone.”

“It’s a marker of safety so staff and patients can feel comfort.

“Who you are should not be a barrier to accessing healthcare, and it should not be a barrier to you giving healthcare.”

Generic Imagery of Royal Darwin Hospital. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The worker said one of their fellow staff members was now questioning their future within the Territory’s health system.

“Just seeing something like that is very shocking, even to the point of thinking ‘Well do I need to leave NT Health? Can I continue working or is this no longer a safe space for me?’,” they said

They questioned if this was merely a protocol conflict, or a reflection of a changing government approach to diversity measures.

“Is this a new policy that ‘No we don’t want to be seen to be favouring one group of people to another’,” they said.

“Or are we in a position where we are so reactive these days that if someone complains then we just take it down.”

“The worst is the lack of communication and also the unexpectedness,” they said.

NT Health declined to comment, instead referring to the Health Minister to provide a response.

Opposition leader and former Health Minister Selena Uibo questioned why the removal of the flags was a priority for the Country Liberal Party.

“While Territorians face day to day challenges like community safety and paying their power bills, the Chief Minister is busy focusing on pulling down flags that represent our diversity instead of tackling the issues that truly matter,” Ms Uibo said.

The NT Government’s own Gender Equity Action Plan 2022-2025 celebrating the hospital flags as a “key achievements” in supporting gender identity diverse people. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In October the controversial Australian Christian Lobby got Araluen Independent Robyn Lambley to present a petition to undermine the availability of gender affirming care, a proposal strongly opposed by Top End Pride, Transcend Australia, Equality Australia, and health care specialists.

The removal also comes one day after the Queensland Government halted puberty blocking hormone treatment for transgender children and teenagers.

Originally published as NT Health Minister orders removal of LGBTQI+, Indigenous flags from Top End hospitals