Dutton Doubles Down, Says Aboriginal Flag Shouldn’t Fly on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Earlier this week Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made a controversial election pledge to remove Indigenous flags from official events. Today, he has doubled down, saying he doesn’t believe the Aboriginal flag should be flying atop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Dutton’s comments drew backlash from Indigenous leaders and allies after saying should he be elected Prime Minister, he would refuse to stand in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

He claims that having multiple flags divides the country.

On Tuesday, he told media, “I’m very strongly of the belief that we are a country united under one flag, and if we’re asking people to identify with different flags, no other country does that, and we are dividing our country unnecessarily.”

“We should have respect for the Indigenous flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag, but they are not our national flags.”

Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy responded, giving a statement that said Dutton is “unfit to be prime minister” and his comments sought to “divide Australians”.

Dutton says his personal belief is only Australian flag flies on Sydney Harbour Bridge

This morning, Dutton appeared on Channel 7 morning show Sunrise, and was asked if his thoughts extended to Indigenous flags being flown on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Aboriginal flag permanently replaced the NSW state flag on the Harbour Bridge in 2022.

While he didn’t directly answer the question, Dutton doubled down on saying flying multiple flags is divisive. He told the morning show hosts that while it is NSW state government issue, he said that his personal belief is that only the Australian flag should be flown on the bridge.

“The argument is how can you be united as a country if we’re asking people to identify under different flags?” he told Sunrise hosts.

“No other Western democracy does that, so I believe very strongly we should have an enormous amount of respect for the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander flags but they are not our national flag.

“My preference would be that we just, frankly, accept that we have one national flag,” he said.

But Dutton did make it clear the NSW Government had the final call on whether the Aboriginal flag flies on the Harbour Bridge.

“For us at a federal level, I’m not going to pretend that our country can be united when we’re asking people to identify in different ways.”

“I think it’s a decision for the NSW government,” he said. “Should be very proud of our Indigenous heritage, but I don’t believe that serving under three flags can unite the country.”