A fresh fight has erupted at Mornington Peninsula Shire after bureaucrats attempted to water down a recent council vote ensuring the Australian flag is always displayed in the “highest position of honour” across official materials.

Go Ad Free

Despite a 3 June vote transferring control of flag usage from staff to councillors, a report set to be tabled at the 22 July meeting proposes that the shire’s communications team retain the final say on whether to include the national flag in materials intended for "Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Intersex or culturally diverse communities."

The proposed policy update includes a clause suggesting the flag may be excluded from some publications to ensure “cultural safety”.

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

“In these cases, it may be more appropriate to display only the flag or flags relevant to that audience,” the report reads. “This supports cultural safety and respectful representation and may help avoid unintended impacts associated with broader flag use.”

The clause would allow communications and engagement manager Randal Mathieson to approve or deny flag usage on a case-by-case basis.

Councillor Bruce Ranken, who spearheaded the original motion, said, “It is our national symbol, it should always be recognised, never overlooked.”

That motion had passed with a majority vote, declaring the Australian flag should be the “most prominent flag displayed whenever a flag is shown” and for the policy to become a “councillor policy”.

Mayor Anthony Marsh backed that stance, saying, “The majority of councillors wanted a council-led policy that was explicitly inclusive of the Australian flag.”

However, the upcoming report appears to sidestep that vote, causing confusion and backlash.

Ranken said he would consult with staff ahead of the July 22 meeting to assess the implications of the proposed clause.

“There is still an opportunity for this matter to be deferred to allow for further clarification,” he said.