Labor pledges to fly Aboriginal flag permanently on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Outspoken NT councillor lashes ungrateful Invasion Day organiser, pledge to fly Aboriginal flag on the Harbour Bridge.

Jacinta Price.

Alice Springs councillor Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has trashed NSW opposition leader Luke Foley’s pledge to fly the Aboriginal flag next to the Australian one on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Speaking on 2GB to Alan Jones, Ms Price said the permanent fixture of the Aboriginal flag on the bridge would not help improve conditions for indigenous Australians, and was instead a way to avoid doing anything meaningful. “I think it’s looking for an easy way, a sort of cop out way of trying to trying to change circumstances for Aboriginal people.” she said. “There’s always these pushes for acts of symbolism that really have no kind of impact of the daily lives of Aboriginal people.”

She also said placing the Aboriginal flag on the bridge would distract from urgent indigenous issues. “It’s like well lets pop this flag up here so we can look away from what’s really going on behind us, the suffering that’s really going on.” she said. “In some ways its just a bit like out of sight, out of mind.”

Ms Price also criticised Invasion Day protesters, who came out in thousands to attend rallies across the nation on Australia Day last week. She said that protesters considered an indigenous child’s cultural identity more important than the survival of the child. “In my view it’s continuing to create that divide through identity politics,” she said. “as it’s putting the identity of the child as far more important than actually saving the life of a child.”

Ms Price took particular aim at Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance Dtarneen Onus-Williams, saying there were indigenous children out there who desperately needed the support Ms Williams received. “Giving children the same opportunities as kids like Dtarneen Onus-Williams have had, and she throws it back in the face of the Australian public and taxpayer who have supported her to get where she is.” she said. “There’s children screaming out there for the same opportunities she has had and yet, these protesters want it to make it all about them, about their struggles to process our country’s history.”

‘They’ll thrash you, you’re gone’

The Aboriginal & Australian flags flying over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: Warren Clarke

Radio broadcaster Alan Jones has accused NSW Labor leader Luke Foley of “the most divisive’’ act possible for pledging to fly the Aboriginal flag side-by side the Australian flag permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Jones condemned Mr Foley for the promise predicting the state Opposition leader had dug his political grave.

“That is the most divisive thing I’ve heard from a political leader of any kind. I’m sorry, you’ve lost the electorate and you’ve lost me,’’ Jones told Mr Foley.

State Labor today backed a campaign by Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka to have the Aboriginal flag fly on top of the famous landmark 365 days a year rather than the current 15 days. Ms Toka, 27, who has spent the past year campaigning, has amassed almost 75,000 signatures via the online platform, Change.org.

Mr Foley promised if he won the next election, the indigenous flag would be raised everyday from the Bridge. “We should all be proud of 60,000 years of indigenous history here,” he said in a statement. “Flying the Aboriginal flag on the great arch that defines Sydney around the world is an appropriate expression of that pride.”

Talking to Jones on his 2GB radio program this morning, Mr Foley said the move was an act of unity much like Cathy Freeman at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where she celebrated her 400m win draped in both the Aboriginal and Australian flags.

Jones condemned the decision: “We have an alternative premier of this state who has uttered the most divisive comment that would be possible’’.

Luke Foley, the alternative NSW Premier is calling for the Aboriginal flag to fly on the Harbour Bridge all year round. It's the most divisive thing I've heard from a political leader. Luke phoned my program earlier today: https://t.co/bx7GMfso9m

— Alan Jones (@AlanJones) February 1, 2018

Mr Foley said he had listened to the 70,000 plus people who had signed Ms Toka’s petition, prompting Jones to ask: “How many people live in NSW, Luke?’’

“There’s 8 million,’’ Foley answered.

“Are you governing for the majority of NSW or for the minority?’’ Jones asked.

“We’ll see at the election,’’ Mr Foley said.

Jones went to say that Mr Foley didn’t have a hope of winning the State election next year. “They will thrash you Luke, you’re gone,’’ Jones said.

NSW Labor has also pledged to establish a treaty recognising traditional indigenous ownership of the state while acknowledging the wrongs of the past.

Luke Foley told my program there are 8 million people in NSW. 70,000 people have signed a petition calling for an Aboriginal flag on the Harbour Bridge. That's fewer than 1 per cent. Why is Mr Foley representing the concerns of the piddling minority? #nswpol

— Alan Jones (@AlanJones) February 1, 2018

As for this Aboriginal flag flying in schools- I don't agree with that either. Are we one nation or are we not? It's time the majority was heard. #auspol

— Alan Jones (@AlanJones) February 1, 2018

The recognisable red, yellow and black flag currently flies for 15 days of the year during NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week and on Australia Day.

“Flying the flag is a sign of respect and can help foster a greater sense of community,” said Labor Aboriginal Affairs spokesman David Harris. Comment is being sort from the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Sarah Mitchell.

Aboriginal woman Cheree Toka who has started a petition to get an Aboriginal flag permanently placed on top on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: John Appleyard

Mr Foley later appeared on Sky News and said Jones should also tell Premier Gladys Berejiklian to take the Aboriginal flag off State Parliament where it currently flies alongside the Australian flag.

“It flies at so many of our schools, and public buildings now and I think it is entirely appropriate for it to also fly permanently on our major international landmark,’’ Mr Foley said.

.@Luke_FoleyNSW: If @AlanJones is so angry he should be calling on his friend @GladysB to take down the Aboriginal flag from outside New South Wales Parliament house, where it currently flies everyday alongside the national flag. https://t.co/8Fzvf6hvmR pic.twitter.com/DGRneRhF07

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 1, 2018

A spokesman for the largest representative group of Aboriginal people in western NSW says it’s a good idea as it would generate a constructive conversation about reconciliation.

“There is a lot of positive stuff that can come out of it that can help take reconciliation forward,” Murdi Paaki Regional Enterprise Corporation chief executive Paul Newman said.

“Most importantly it generates a conversation ... Historically as a nation, we haven’t had a constructive conversation”.

With AAP