Here I thought complaining about your own country's flag was an American thing. An article from the Country Down Under. The first picture is of the acutal flag and pole, does not look oversized, or offensive to me. Seems time for some city councils to buck up and tell the one, single solitary complainer to find another hobby. Just makes you shake your head in wonder.
Couriermail.com.au, by: Hannah Davies
A COUNCIL has ordered an ex-soldier to take down the Australian flag which flies outside his house because it has been deemed "offensive" by a neighbour.
Aaron Wilson erected the 5m high flagpole eight weeks ago, in honour of his friends who served in Iraq.
But on Tuesday, Logan City Council called to tell him a neighbour had made a complaint, labelling it "offensive". He was told to remove the pole or risk legal action. Mr Wilson, whose father fought in Vietnam, said he was disgusted.
"I find it astonishing that anyone could find the Australian flag offensive," he said.
"My family and friends have served for the country and the very least I can do is have a flag to show my appreciation for Australia.
"I thought the council had better things to do with their time than persecute people for putting a flag up."
Logan City mayor Pam Parker said she backed Mr Wilson but could not rule 
out his having to move the flagpole.
``I am offended that somebody should complain to the council about the Australian flag, and whoever they are should hang their head in shame,'' she told ABC Radio.
Ms Parker said the flagpole had ``setback issues'' which she would discuss with council officers.
A council spokeswoman said there was a concern the flagpole could fall down in high winds. She said Mr Wilson needed a building permit, because the pole was only 4.5m from the kerb and, under the Queensland Development Code, it should be at least 6m from the front. But Mr Wilson, 30, a salesman from Eagleby, near Beenleigh, said other residents in the area had similar flagpoles that were closer to the boundary than his.
The planting of the Australian flag on a German pillbox by Captain Arthur Hull, 18th Battalion (New South Wales), during the Battle of the Menin Road on 20 September 1917.
He said he would not be moving the flag. "You can't have rules for some people and not for others," he said. "I can't see how moving the flag back a bit is going to stop it being offensive."
Ex-serviceman Cr Ray Hackwood, who represents Mr Wilson's ward, said he would be monitoring the situation.
"As area councillor, I certainly won't allow anyone to pull down an Australian flag," he said.
Mr Wilson's neighbours last night were baffled as to who had complained.
Felicia Maybury, 28, said: "Mr Wilson's got a right to fly his flag in support of his country and his mates who 
fought for us."
The Union Jack in the upper left corner (or canton) acknowledges the history of British settlement.
Below the Union Jack is a white Commonwealth or Federation star. It has seven points representing the unity of the six states and the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Southern Cross is shown on the fly of the flag in white. This constellation of five stars can be seen only from the southern hemisphere and is a reminder of Australia’s geography.
(from: http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/flag.cfm#symbolism )
His neighbour is probably an Immigrant from the suburb mentioned and probably finds the flag of the country that allowed him a better life, offensive. (Of course this is said with tongue in cheek, but it's true),
ReplyDeleteYes our country is even more crazy than yours at times as we do allow this sort of thing to happen. OMG...don't by any means offend the minorities that our Immigration Policy allows to come into the country.
Crazy! Crazy Crazy! I have my own Immigration Policy. If you don't like it, then DON'T COME!!!!
I wonder if he has enough room to move it another 1.5 M from the curb? The picture makes it look rather close to the structure there. Maybe it's time to institute some flag civil rights in Australia. We seem to have enough traditions, etiquette, rights and protection of our flag here.
ReplyDeleteI stand with our Aussie brothers and sisters, and moon his neighbors.
ReplyDeleteThen maybe they'll finally have something to complain about.
Barb...part of the problem would be when you start exercising Flag civil rights, which one would it be. The Aboriginals have their own flag as well, and really it is about time that we combined part of their flag with our own. I have wanted to see a redesign of the flag for a long time. We also have the Boxing Kangaroo flag as well which is often traditional at sporting events. No wonder us Aussies don't know who we are.....LOL. Perhaps when we come up with a flag that suits us all, we may be able to introduce more rights for it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps here we are accustomed to seeing all different sorts of flags and all of them are tolerated. It is not uncommon to see most flag poles with both a state flag and a national flag. A lot of people regularly fly a third flag such as a POW or MIA, skull and crossbones, confederate, favorite sports team, retired military branch etc. I guess if the municipality has a specific sign ordinance regarding flags then it would be expected to follow that codified regulations. I personally like the seasonal house flags and usually change mine out every month or so.
ReplyDeleteAll I will say is that I find this to be totally ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteOMG.....I do not know what is worse, the fact that an idiot..I mean, a neighbor (ok, idiot) found it offensive or the fact that the city counsil called to tell him to remove the pole OR RISK LEGAL ACTION!!!!!??????!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBaffled.....
If anybody has a right to fly a flag it's Aaron Wilson, he's Australian the flag is Australian and the country is Australia.and he's done time in the Army.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a pic of the person that found it offensive.
It's the same here in Jolly Old England, you cannot fly the Union flag as it's offensive to the majority of the people that have arrived to our shores and claiming benefits while slagging us off.
Typical council morons, as far as I'm concerned all council idiots that tell us what and not to do are warthog faced bottom feeding pond scum.
That's awful... Everyone has a right to their opinion, but how can anyone say that a National Symbol such as the flag of your country is offensive? Hell, I may raise an Australian Flag in his honor... beneath my American one, of course. :D
ReplyDeleteUPDATE ON FLAG FLYING ISSUE....
ReplyDeleteThe council has now backed down from its original decision, and Aaron Wilson is allowed to keep his flag pole erected.
Most of his neighbours are now flying flags at their houses, in support of Mr. Wilson.
Under the Australian constitution, a person has the right to fly any flag one chooses, as long as it is not considered offensive to other members of the community...
ReplyDeleteSo, the Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag, and the Eureka flag are often seen flying in Australia.
The Eureka flag was originally flown at the battle of the Eureka stockade at Ballarat goldfields, when the miners protested over the costs and conditions of obtaining lisences to mine for gold.
The greed of the Brittish soldiers was at its most then.
The flag is a blue background, white stripes and stars....the stars to loosely represent the "Southern Cross"...the unofficial star constellation, used by some current unions, in their epic struggles in gaining a decent pay and conditions for workers.
That is wonderful news Ifiik!!!! That sounds like the get it done Aussies I read about in my history reading.
ReplyDeleteits the ozzie way mate......one in....all in........
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear it is solved, but I know where I live if you fly a flag thru the night it is to have a light on it. Also, our town flies many flags in a park that I frequent. Most are the RW&B American, but there is also our town flag, and a POW flag, and an Ohio flag.
ReplyDeleteRidiculous! So you're not even allowed to show pride in your country. I never heard such a silly thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it all worked out by now and that other neighbors have put up their flag for support.
As you know.... I think at least one of his neighbors needs to get a life... because there is one that has nothing better to do than complain about something that is certainly not offensive and was put up to honor these men that so deserved to be honored... Yes, they need to get a real life of their own!!!
ReplyDelete