Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has stirred the pot once again, this time by declaring that he won’t speak in front of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags if he becomes Prime Minister. This bold (and frankly cocky) statement has sparked plenty of conversation about national identity and representation in Australia.
In an interview with Sky News‘ Peta Credlin, Dutton made his position clear: “We’re asking people to identify with different flags. No other country does that, and we are dividing our country unnecessarily.”
He added, “We should have respect for the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, but they are not our national flags.”
Dutton’s comments come in stark contrast to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has made it a point to display all three flags during his press conferences since taking office.
When Albanese first did this three years ago, then-Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney praised the move, calling it a “thoughtful” gesture that showed “respect and inclusivity”. Clearly, Dutton is taking a different approach.
Dutton is pushing a narrative of national unity, insisting that “we are united as a country when we gather under one flag, which is what we should do on Australia Day”.
He’s also keen to shift the focus to Australia’s migrant story, encouraging people to celebrate the contributions of post-WWII immigrants who “came here with nothing” and built successful lives.
Not everyone is on board with Dutton’s views. Greens MP Ellen Sandell took to social media to respond directly to Dutton’s comments: “Peter Dutton says he won’t stand in front of this flag. I always will. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.”
Australians have taken to the internet to accuse Dutton of starting “a culture war” with his stance.
“Peter Dutton says he won’t display the Indigenous flag at press conferences if elected PM, which is hardly shocking coming from a bloke who’s got few policies but plenty of culture wars to stoke,” said one X user.
Dutton’s remarks come after The Saturday Paper reported that the Liberal Party has enlisted Scott Morrison‘s former New Zealand-based creative agency Topham Guerin, known for its “disinformation tactics” and use of “deepfake technology”. It seems like he’s gearing up for a big fight and I’m already fucking over it.
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