Latest news with #MorningtonPeninsulaShireCouncil
Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Mornington Council bureaucrats insert ‘cultural safety' loophole into policy mandating Australian flag be shown in ‘most prominent' position
Bureaucrats at a Victorian local council are attempting to undermine a push for the Australian National Flag to be featured in the 'most prominent' position on council material by inserting a 'cultural safety' loophole. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was sent into damage control in June after it emerged that council materials were being put out with the Aboriginal flag, Torres Strait Islander flag and the woke 'progress pride' flag – but not the Australian flag. In response to a public backlash, councillors overwhelmingly backed an 'urgent business' motion requiring that the Australian flag 'be the most prominent flag displayed whenever any flag is shown'. The motion, which was passed on a vote of 9 to 1, also requested that a revised Council Flag Policy be developed for consideration within 60 days. However the new flag policy, which has been released ahead of next Tuesday's council meeting, contains a major loophole allowing the Australian flag to be left off communications intended for minority communities. 'The Australian National Flag must be included and shown in the position of highest prominence, in accordance with the Protocols, unless the material is part of a targeted communication developed for a specific cultural or community audience, as outlined in the Flag Usage Guidelines,' the revised policy states. The new Flag Policy is designed to cover 'all representations of flags across Shire-managed sites, signage, events, and communications, whether physical or digital' and will apply to 'any staff or contractors involved in the production of digital, printed, or graphic materials that feature flag imagery'. According to the agenda documents prepared for the July 22 council meeting, the revised flag policy has been updated in line with 'council's intent'. But the fine print of the updated policy reveals the decision on whether to include the Australian flag in so-called 'targeted communications' will ultimately be made by the council's manager of advocacy, communications and engagement. The definition of 'targeted communications' also provides grounds for the bureaucrat to approve council material that excludes the Australian flag. 'Targeted communications refer to materials developed for a defined audience such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Intersex or other culturally or linguistically diverse communities,' the document states. 'In these cases, it may be more appropriate to display only the flag or flags relevant to that audience. 'This supports cultural safety and respectful representation and may help avoid unintended impacts associated with broader flag use.' The material that sparked the community backlash about the lack of inclusion of the Australian flag included a flyer encouraging parents to sign their kids up to Kindergarten, a Child and Family news flyer, and a Health and Development Assessment flyer. A poll carried out after the initial revelations revealed the flyers were wildly out of step with community attitudes. The survey of 1000 people, commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs and carried out by Dynata – an independent marketing research firm – found that 71 per cent of Australians believe our national flag helped unite all Australians While Australia currently has three officially recognised national flags, the IPA poll found that 61 per cent of Australians believe we should have just one flag – the Australian flag – while 29 per cent of respondents support the Australian flag being displayed alongside the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag. The poll found only 10 per cent of people want to get rid of the Australian flag.
Sky News AU
05-06-2025
- General
- Sky News AU
New poll shows more than 70 per cent of public support Australian flag as Mornington Peninsula council responds to backlash
The Australian flag is viewed as a symbol of unity by an overwhelming majority of the public, despite local council bureaucrats erasing it from flyers. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was sent into damage control this week after it emerged that council materials were being put out with the Aboriginal flag, Torres Strait Islander flag and the woke 'progress pride' flag – but not the Australian flag. The council flyers are wildly out of step with community attitudes, with a new poll released on Thursday showing that just 10 per cent of people want to get rid of the Australian flag. The survey of 1000 people, commissioned by the Institute of Public Affairs and carried out by Dynata – an independent marketing research firm – found that 71 per cent of Australians believe our national flag helped unite all Australians. While Australia currently has three officially recognised national flags, the IPA poll found that 61 per cent of Australians believe we should have just one flag – the Australian flag – while 29 per cent of respondents support the Australian flag being displayed alongside the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag. Institute of Public Affairs Deputy Executive Director Daniel Wild said the Australian flag was the nation's 'most inclusive flag'. 'The Australian flag is our most inclusive flag as it represents our entire nation and every Australian, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or gender,' Mr Wild said. 'The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags have an important place in our society, but Australia has only one national flag. The Mornington Peninsula Council materials that had the Australian Flag removed include a flyer encouraging parents to sign their kids up to Kindergarten, a Child and Family news flyer, and a Health and Development Assessment flyer. According to the Herald Sun, at least one council office in Mornington also displays only the three minority flags on its entry doors. The Mayor of Mornington Peninsula and the council's chief executive have both denied knowing about the flyers before they appeared in the news. And on Tuesday evening Councillors voted to amend the council's flag policy to ensure the incident was not repeated. Mayor Anthony Marsh has told that "going forward" the council will ensure the Australian flag is included on all publications and materials it puts out. According to Mr Wild, the public backlash against the council reflects the fact Australians have 'had a gutful' of divisive identity politics. 'At a time when social cohesion is disintegrating across the nation, mainstream Australians understand that our symbols are unifying, and should be cherished and celebrated at all times. After all, there is far more that unites Australians than divides us,' he said.
Sky News AU
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Disgusting': Local Victorian council blasted over featuring flags including LGBTQ+ banner but not Australian flag on kindergarten registration flyer
A local council in Victoria has been blasted for leaving out the Australian flag on a kindergarten flyer that displays three others including a LGBTQ+ banner. A picture of the flyer issued by Mornington Peninsula Shire, which encourages parents to register their children for kindergarten in 2026, has garnered heavy criticism since being shared on social media on Monday. The flyer featured Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and LGBTQ+ Progress Pride flags below the council logo, but Australia's national flag was left off the leaflet. One Facebook post shared a photo of the flyer and begged the question 'where is the Australian flag?' as commenters reacted with disdain and bewilderment. 'This is disgusting, we live in Australia,' one comment read. 'We are all represented by one flag. Only a very small percentage of people are represented by the other three,' another person said. Some comments took aim at the council itself, with one comment saying, 'Another example of what they shouldn't be doing with our rates'. Another Facebook user shared the picture alongside scathing remarks, saying she was 'disgusted' by the handout. 'Apparently the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council no longer consider us Australian,' she wrote. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council mayor Anthony Marsh has revealed he and chief executive officer Mark Stoermer did not know the flyer existed before it came under fire on social media. "This flyer was produced and distributed without the knowledge or endorsement of the Council, me as Mayor or the CEO. We are investigating how this occurred and will fix it," Mr Marsh told "I acknowledge that the lack of the Australian Flag has caused concern. I understand our flag policy is being updated to ensure it is featured on every document where flags are shown, and I suspect this will now be expedited as a result of this issue." A larger than usual turnout is expected at a Mornington Peninsula Shire Council meeting on Tuesday night, and arrangements have been made to 'ensure safety for attendees,' according to council's website. 'Council meetings are conducted in a respectful and structured manner, and we appreciate the community's co-operation and adherence to this approach,' the notice said.
Sky News AU
06-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Council spent $11.7 million on ‘climate related things'
Sky News host Caleb Bond says the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council spent $11.7 million on 'climate related things'. Mornington Peninsula councillors are working to redirect funds which were originally for climate action grants. The funds will go towards Australia Day, Anzac Day, community services and roads.
Sky News AU
06-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
‘Revelatory': Mornington Peninsula councillors redirect climate action grant funds
Sky News host Liz Storer says the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council's redirection of funds away from climate action grants is 'revelatory'. Mornington Peninsula councillors are working to redirect funds which were originally for climate action grants. The funds will go towards Australia Day, Anzac Day, community services and roads.
