A southern New South Wales council will remove First Nations flags from their chambers, despite the motion proposing the controversial move failing to be passed and overwhelming community opposition.
The Murray region's Federation Council met this week to vote on protocols for displaying Indigenous flags in the chamber, debating whether they should only be allowed for certain occasions such as NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week.
The proposal was introduced last November by Mayor Cheryl Cook, who argued displaying only the Australian flag would unite the council as a “single, cohesive community under one sovereign emblem."
Tuesday's vote was split: four councillors supported removing the flags, three opposed and one abstained.
While choosing to defer the final decision, the flags will still be removed from council chambers because there was no formal resolution from the council that says they need to be displayed.
First Nations residents says removal sends the wrong message
Iris Troutman is a Kooma, Kamilaroi and Ngarabal resident upset at the removal of the flags.
As CEO of Many Mobs Indigenous Corporation, she is concerned at how the move might impact the social well-being of First Nations community.
"I'm just disgusted by the whole thing, these flags represent everyone. We've got three flags in Australia that are government flags," she told NITV.
"One of the councillors was talking about the three flags representing division. Well, no, it isn't. It's representing Aboriginal land, it's for Aboriginal people."
Aunty Iris shared messages she had received from Corowa community members with NITV, saying they give an insight into how the broader community feels.
"What weighs on me the most is what this means to our children, because they're watching and they're listening and they're already starting to ask questions," one mother wrote.
"I just don't want the next generation growing up feeling like they don't belong, or that their culture isn't valued."
Another local resident says it's "not just about the flag".
"My family feels hurt and, to be honest, a bit shocked that this is something we're even having to stand up and speak about," they said.
"Reconciliation should be about people coming together, not creating division. Cultural awareness, training and meaningful consultation should come first."
Federation Council residents oppose removing flags
Federation Council encompasses the former Urana and Corowa Shires.
Since community consultation opened last November, almost 900 public submissions were received on the proposal.
79 per cent were not in favour, instead preferring to keep the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
While the majority of submissions were made by people living outside the region, the rate of opposition was even higher among local residents, at 84 per cent.
At Tuesday's meeting, an alternative motion by Councillor Derek Shoen to develop the council's reconciliation action plan (RAP) was passed.
However community members like Troutman are not confident that the council will engage.
"[I feel like] one out of the 10 have read the Reconciliation Action Plan. They all should read it and and have a cultural awareness lesson before they even take that seat on council," she said.
"This is what it's all come down to. [These flags are] for our people, our people to to feel welcome, to feel they're a part of that community."
