A field on mini Aboriginal flags popped up outside Clarence Council over the weekend
Following a massive community backlash Clarence City Council is headed for another vote on flying the Aboriginal flag at its chambers. LATEST >>
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- Dozens of Aboriginal flags planted outside Clarence City Council
- Debate erupts over flying Aboriginal flag at Clarence City Council
THE Mayor of Clarence says he expects a motion to fly the Aboriginal flag will be approved at the next council meeting.
A field of flags grew on the lawns of the council chambers in Rosny over the weekend in silent protest over Council’s recent decision not to fly the flag.
The motion from Alderman Beth Warren for council to fly the Aboriginal flag on one of its flagpoles from NAIDOC week onwards was lost 6-6 tied vote.
The council currently flies the Tasmanian, Australian and Clarence City flags, with a fourth flagpole unused for much of the year.
However Mayor Doug Chipman said on Sunday the matter would likely be the subject of another motion at the next council meeting on November 2.
“We are working through this and I think we will come to an answer that people will be comfortable with at the next council meeting,” Alderman Chipman said.
“I believe the numbers are there for it to be flown after NAIDOC week. We are working through it, the intention was we would always fly it. It’s just that people wanted to see it flying sooner rather than later and not all aldermen were comfortable with it at the time.”
Alderman Chipman said elected members would meet with Reconciliation Tasmania at a council workshop on Monday to discuss the flag and other issues.
Clarence Council’s rejection of Alderman Warren’s original flag motion dismayed the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and many in the wider community.
Alderman Chipman said at the time that despite his opposition to the motion, he was committed to seeing the flag fly permanently following consultation with the Aboriginal community.
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