Peter Dutton continues attack on Greens leader Adam Bandt over Australian flag

Peter Dutton has blasted Greens leader Adam Bandt over a controversial stunt with the Australian flag.

Peter Dutton has continued to criticise Greens leader Adam Bandt over his decision not to stand in front of the Australian flag.

Mr Bandt had the Australian flag removed from the background of his press conference in Sydney on Monday, choosing to appear in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

He explained his decision by saying: “It’s time to understand that the history of this country and the symbols that represent this history of this country are very hurtful to First Nations people.”

The move was labelled divisive “virtue-signalling” by Labor and Liberal MPs and criticised by Indigenous community leaders.

Mr Bandt has since becoming Greens leader in 2020 removed the Australian flag from the backdrop to his press conferences.

It was picked up on this week after Labor began including the Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal flag – along with the Australian one – in its press conferences after forming government.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has criticised Adam Bandt for the decision to remove the Australian flag from his press conferences. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

The Opposition Leader on Thursday said Mr Bandt’s decision was “more about self-attention” and accused him of “craving the public limelight”.

“He’s well known for making these sort of statements. And generally they’re more about himself than about the causes he’s trying to promote or pretending to promote,” Mr Dutton told 2GB.

“If nothing else, it sets up an opposition between progress on Indigenous affairs and the nation itself. And so this will actually undermine progress on those sorts of issues.”

Mr Bandt says the Australian flag represents lingering hurt for Indigenous people. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

Mr Dutton made similar remarks on 2GB radio earlier in the week when he said: “I think it’s all about a publicity stunt and frankly I just don’t think we should give him the publicity that he craves.”

Anthony Albanese said he was “quite surprised” by what Mr Bandt said about the Australian flag on Monday.

“I’m always very proud to stand in front of the Australian flag and I think anyone who is a member of the Australian parliament should do so as well,” the Prime Minister said.

“Reconciliation is about bringing people together … It is undermined if people look for division rather than look for unity.”

Mr Albanese has committed to holding a referendum on enshrining an Indigenous Voice to parliament in the constitution within the next three years.

The voice is one of the reforms outlined in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which Mr Albanese has promised to enact in full.