A debate has erupted between two Indigenous senators after Greens leader Adam Bandt made the controversial decision to remove the Australian flag from a press conference earlier this week.
Country Liberal senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has labelled the move as "divisive" saying it detracts from issues of real concern.
"It paints Indigenous Australians as though we're helpless victims, and the only way that we're going to get anywhere is when people like Adam Bandt remove a flag," she told ABC RN on Thursday morning.
"The Australian flag represents Indigenous and non-Indigenous servicemen and women died under that flag for our freedoms. Why is that flag such a terrible thing to be recognised as something that's unifying?"
This comes after Greens senator Lidia Thorpe said she believes the flag "has no permission to be here" in a heated interview with The Project's Waleed Aly on Wednesday.
"The Australian flag does not represent me or my people. It represents the colonisation of these lands and it has no permission to be here. There's been no consent, there's been no treaty," she said.
"I am here for my people, and I will sacrifice swearing allegiance to the coloniser to get into the media like I am right now, to get into the parliament like I am every day, to make this country put a mirror up to itself and ask, 'who are we? Where do we come from and where are we going?'"
Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Mr Bandt to "reconsider his position".
Mr Bandt removed the Australian flag from behind the lectern at a press conference on Monday, saying it represented "the lingering pains of colonisation".
The move was widely criticised and drew condemnation from RSL Australia.
READ ALSO:
RSL Australia president Greg Melick said while some may regard the actions of Mr Bandt as little more than a political stunt, it was particularly hurtful to the thousands of Australian men and women who had served or who are still serving under that very flag, as well as to the families of those who had sacrificed their lives in the service of our country.
"The RSL condemns the actions of Mr Bandt in the strongest possible terms. Australians have served under our national flag, irrespective of their race, religion or political views and it and all our present and past service personnel deserve the highest respect," Mr Melick said.
"Mr Bandt's move was disrespectful to all these people and the RSL rejects it as unfitting of a member of our national parliament."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
