FLAG-RAISING: Tamworth Regional Council plans on flying the Aboriginal flag every day. Photo: Fairfax
TAMWORTH Regional Council is now flying the Aboriginal flag, every day of the year.
Until now the council has only flown the flag to mark significant and special occasions.
The decision follows a request from the local Yaamanhaa Aboriginal Men’s Group around the time of NAIDOC Week to council general manager Paul Bennett.
A representative from the Yaamanhaa men’s group, Paul Callaghan, who is also the director of the New England Institute of TAFE, approached Mr Bennett on behalf of the group and, more broadly, the local Aboriginal community, to see if the flag could be flown more regularly.
Mr Bennett said as a result of the extremely positive response from the Aboriginal community, he had issued instructions the Aboriginal flag is to be flown daily at the entrance to Ray Walsh House.
The Australian flag has been moved to the fourth floor balcony of Ray Walsh House.
Two poles at the front of the building now fly the Aboriginal and state flags.
Mr Bennett said the only other time the flags would not be flown would be in the event there was another specific event or special occasion to
celebrate ... “for example, during the country music festival, or when a foreign dignitary is visiting the city,” he said.
The Yaamanhaa Men’s Group was developed with the mission to develop and promote positive community involvement; promote activities aimed at improving the quality of health, education and wellbeing of Aboriginal men and youth; and promote develop and foster community involvement aimed at improving educational, social
and emotional lives of Aboriginal people in this
community.