Rainbow flag again causes a flap

THE future of the rainbow flag in the Surf Coast Shire has again been clarified.

For several years, the shire has raised the flag for a week outside its Torquay office on or close to May 17 to recognise IDAHOBIT (the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia), but the flag has been flying continuously since April 2017 to coincide with the public debate (and eventual vote in federal Parliament) on same-sex marriage.

The flag – and the fact it is still flying – has become a contentious issue for some in the Surf Coast community.

Those in favour say it is a visible and welcome public show of support for LGBITQ people.

Those against say the shire, as a local government, has no business and no mandate to try to influence federal government policy on the issue, and as same-sex marriage is now legal, the flag is unnecessary.

The motion passed by councillors at their March 27 meeting appears to be an attempt to return to the status quo.

“In the emotion of all that, and the difficulty going backwards and forwards, we forgot to put an end date on it; that’s the bottom line,” Cr Heather Wellington said.

“I don’t believe anybody around this table ever thought the flag could or should or would fly forever.”

The shire will keep flying the rainbow flag on the front lawn pole until May 24, when it will be lowered to mark the conclusion of the council’s acknowledgement of IDAHOBIT.

The council has affirmed its intention to include IDAHOBIT in its 2019 events calendar, resuming the practice of raising the rainbow flag on IDAHOBIT itself and flying it for one week.

The motion also adopted the shire’s updated flag policy, which includes time limits for the flying of flags (no longer than a calendar month for non-government flags).

The flag debate has been divisive for the council and the latest motion proved so again, with all councillors but two (shire mayor David Bell and Cr Rose Hodge) voting for it.

There was also disagreement about how the flag should come down on May 24 – Cr Wellington said it should be brought down quietly, while others believed it should be cause for celebration.