At the November ordinary meeting, a lengthy discussion with strong feelings on both sides preceded the 5-4 vote.
Amendments included having the Australian flag exclusively in the council chambers and across the Federation Council area, except during NAIDOC and Reconciliation weeks, and that Welcome to Country ceremonies, must be approved by a council resolution.
In the absence of a council resolution, an Acknowledgment of Country would instead be offered.
Cr David Bott proposed a firm belief that the Australian flag represented the whole community.
“It pays homage to all people … the Union Jack pays tribute to the colonisation of Australia and also provided us with the Westminster system that’s enabling us to have this debate,” he said.
“The very first inhabitants of this land would have walked, looked up at night going back millenniums and saw the Southern Cross.
“All migrants … have contributed enormous amounts to the society we call Australia today.”
Councillors Susan Wearne and David Harrison held equally strong views in the opposite direction.
Cr Wearne pointed out that in 1995 the Aboriginal and TSI flags became official Australian flags and Cr Harrison said he saw the flags as a celebration and a recognition.
“If we take the step to remove them, it sends a very clear message and it’s a very negative message,” he said.
Mayor Cheryl Cook said her view was informed by the many conversations she’d had with residents since becoming mayor and very strong feedback that council should seek a more unified culture.
“That is our shared Aussie identity spirit,” she said.
As mayor, Cr Cook has presided over three citizenship ceremonies and said it was becoming more evident that Federation had an incredibly diverse community, and for the need to have civic neutrality in the chamber, under one flag.
But she stressed that council must honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people during special events, naming NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week.
She said that throughout the council area and beyond there was a belief that Welcome to Country was being overused and the sentiment was growing, even among Aboriginal elders.
The motion to include the amendments was carried 5-4 with Crs Susan Wearne, David Harrison, Pat Bourke and Rowena Black voting against it.
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