Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight in the adjournment debate to continue my remarks about the plan of a socialist youth group called Resistance to encourage people to burn the Australian flag by selling flag burning kits. I voiced these concerns yesterday during the grievance debate, so I will not go over why the Australian flag is such an important national symbol and represents so many things to each individual Australian and why it should and must be respected and treated with dignity.

It is because of what the Australian flag symbolises that there are certain protocols which should be observed when flying, folding and positioning the flag in a building or on a flagpole. These protocols were established decades ago and they have stood the test of time. It is important that we always maintain the dignity of our national flag and illustrate our respect for Australians everywhere who hold the flag close to their hearts.

I would like to again quote one of my constituents, who wrote, ‘Flag burners are like naughty kids wanting to get attention.’ Mr Speaker, I agree with this statement, as I am sure you and countless others do. In this House, we have four Australian flags that you as Speaker maintain. You ensure that they are flying 24 hours a day every day of the year. That is one of your responsibilities. I am sure each and every member who receives one of these flags that have flown in the House of Representatives finds that it is well received in their constituency. That is one of the things you do as Speaker.

There are more appropriate ways for one to express how they feel about a certain issue, and I encourage these socialist youth groups to think about this. They could write to their member of parliament for a start. The centre of our democracy is the parliament. If they wrote to their member of parliament, he could express their concerns in the parliament. But to use our national symbol to draw attention to their cause will achieve absolutely nothing. In many cases, I believe it will bring condemnation.

The Australian flag is a very powerful symbol to me and, I believe, to an overwhelming majority of Australians. It saddens and hurts me that someone can think they can get away with desecrating our Australian flag. It is with this passion and support for the protocols for the protection of our flag that I have decided to facilitate a petition to make it an offence to burn or desecrate the flag, or sell flag burning kits which would only encourage people to burn the flag and break what should be, I believe, a law. These socialist youth groups must be prevented from continuing with their plan.

I am heartened by the signatures that are being added daily; in fact, I am overwhelmed by the signatures and the positive response this petition has received. I do not think the acts of burning the flag, desecrating the flag or selling flag burning kits should be made criminal offences, and neither would most Australians. Quite frankly, I think that would make a martyr of those people who want to continue these actions. Offenders would not learn from their actions, and they would probably be more likely to re-offend because of the publicity that they would gain by their actions and because of the fact that they would be seen to be martyrs by having criminal charges brought against them for their actions.

What I would like to see is offenders undertaking compulsory education on the history of the flag and the values it represents to each and every Australian. By undertaking compulsory education these offenders would become, I believe, far more valuable citizens to us. They would learn from their actions. They would also develop a better sense of the Australian identity. They would be better people, both as individuals and as members of their communities. People need to have a good sense of who they are, what they are and where they come from—their national roots and heritage. By learning about the flag and this country of ours they can begin to understand Australia’s national identity.

I want to assure members that this compulsory education is not in any way trying to take away the fundamental rights of Australians to exercise freedom of speech or expression. I will leave you with one final point. People who burn the national Australian flag are in fact burning the very symbol of their freedom of speech and freedom of expression, because it is this flag which represents the merging of these two fundamental rights—rights which form an intrinsic part of the Australian national identity. (Time expired)