‘Removing flags doesn’t stop racism’: regional NSW council abandons plan to stop flying Aboriginal flag

The Federation Council in Corowa received 266 submissions from ratepayers opposed to a plan to remove Indigenous flags, and only 44 in favour Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A regional New South Wales council has abandoned a controversial plan to ban the display of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, after receiving almost 700 submissions criticising the idea. But because of council procedure, the flags were removed anyway – at least temporarily. The Federation Council stretches from Corowa on the Murray River to Urana and the Newell Highway in the federal electorate of Farrer. Mayor Cheryl Cook first floated the idea last November as part of an amendment to the council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait protocols document. It also proposed not allowing welcome to country ceremonies for council events unless they were “approved by an adopted council resolution”. The proposal was then put out for community consultation. The majority (78%) of the 884 public submissions received opposed the idea, with only 100 submissions – or 11.5% – in favour. Most of the submissions were made by peop