Indigenous MP flags Greens leader Adam Bandt ‘divisive’

Labor MP Marion Scrymgour says Adam Bandt’s act would make it harder to win broad support for a voice to parliament.

Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has condemned Adam Bandt. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Taylor

Indigenous Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has condemned Greens leader Adam Bandt for refusing to stand in front of the Australian flag, saying the act was divisive and would make it harder to win broad community support for a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament.

The new member for the Northern Territory seat of Lingiari urged Mr Bandt to change his approach to politics, saying the Greens should not absolve themselves of the responsibility of leaders to “bring the country together”.

Adding to the criticism, Indigenous leader Marcia Langton accused Mr Bandt of unhelpful “virtue signalling” while former Indigenous Australians minister Ken Wyatt urged the Greens leader to abandon the practice.

Ms Scrymgour, the first Indigenous woman to serve in the NT Legislative Assembly before entering federal politics at the May election, said it was “harder” to have a conversation with Australians about the Uluru Statement from the Heart when the Greens were being antagonistic.

“Let’s unite Australia, let’s not divide,” Ms Scrymgour told The Australian.

“I know people who fought under the Australian flag and fought for our freedoms. We need to bring this country together.

“And if we are going to have a conversation about constitutional reform, a voice to parliament, we need to do everything that we can to bring everyone together rather than divide the country.

“I just think it sends the wrong message when we have the leader of a party doing and making a stance like he has.”

In a press conference on Monday, Mr Bandt’s staffers removed the Australian flag from behind the speaking podium but left in place the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

When asked about Mr Bandt’s reaction to Indigenous community leaders’ criticism over his stance on the flag, a spokesman for the Greens leader said Mr Bandt had refused to stand in front of the Australian flag for two years.

“For many people, this flag represents dispossession and the lingering pains of colonisation,” Mr Bandt’s spokesman said.

Professor Langton – who advised the former Coalition government on a model for an Indigenous voice – said Mr Bandt’s stance was “just ridiculous” and counter-productive in implementing policy that will improve the lives of Indigenous people. “Somebody called it virtue signalling, that is right. It achieves nothing useful or gracious. It doesn’t achieve reconciliation. It is not helpful,” she said.

Mr Wyatt, Australia’s first Indigenous cabinet minister, said he was disappointed Mr Bandt refused to stand with the national flag.

“The Australian flag has the Southern Cross on it, and the Southern Cross story in many Aboriginal cultures is significant and it’s an important symbol. In Aboriginal astronomy it is a very sacred set of stars,” he said. “There are Aboriginal men and women who died fighting under the Australian flag and we should respect that.

“Given that we are a nation that’s about wanting to reconcile our past and address the truth of our nation, I find it disappointing and I would hope that Adam would reconsider his position.”

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said Mr Bandt needed to recognise “we’ve got to bring people with us on a path of change”. “We want to change the constitution and include (First Nations people) in our nation’s birth certificate, but antics like this, this virtue signalling … turns people off,” Mr Shorten told Nine’s Today program.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Mr Bandt’s flag policy was “all about him”

“I don’t think it’s about Indigenous issues. 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. He doesn’t represent the majority of Australians,” he told 2GB radio.

“He’s taking a salary that’s paid for by the Australian taxpayer. If he doesn’t like the Australian flag or is embarrassed by the flag or the country, well, he shouldn’t be taking the money from Australian taxpayers that pays his mortgage.”

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe lashed out at criticism of Mr Bandt.

“When the Native Police come out and back the colonisers,” Senator Thorpe tweeted.