A Victorian council has moved to strip its staff of control over flag displays after omitting the Australian flag from a promotional flyer for local kindergarten enrolments.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire flyer, circulated this week, included the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Pride flags, but notably excluded the Australian flag — prompting a backlash from ratepayers and urgent action from councillors.

Councillor Bruce Ranken raised the matter as urgent business during Tuesday night’s council meeting, calling for immediate changes to how the Australian flag is handled in council materials.

“It is our national symbol, it should always be recognised, never overlooked,” Ranken said.

Mornington Peninsula Shire Council replaced the Australian flag with a trans flag on KINDERGARTEN promotional material.

This isn’t inclusion — it’s the erasure of national identity and the promotion of radical gender ideology to little children.

Disgraceful. Full stop. pic.twitter.com/jcHrf5vIL7

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) June 3, 2025

He pushed for the Australian flag to be displayed “at the highest position of honour” and included wherever any flags are used. Ranken also called for the council’s existing flag policy to be rewritten and for its enforcement to be placed under councillors' control rather than council staff.

Currently, the shire’s flag policy only states that if the Australian flag is flown, it must take precedence — but it does not require that it be flown at all times.

The motion passed overwhelmingly, with councillors voting 9–1 in favour of revising the policy within 60 days to ensure it is “clear, respectful and enforceable.”

“This is not about excluding other flags,” Ranken said. “It’s about recognising... the Australian flag must sit at the top.”

Councillor Max Patton cast the sole vote against the motion, expressing concern over the rushed nature of the decision. “I haven’t had a chance to read the flag policy. I’m concerned about unintended consequences,” he said.

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