WA Liberal leader’s disgusting ‘divisive’ stance over Aboriginal flag

By PETER ROWE

A leading politician’s vow to not stand in front of the Aboriginal flag has been condemned as ‘cynical’ by WA Premier Roger Cook.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has said she will not stand in front of the flag at media events if elected to the top office after the March election.

The move has seen the Premier call out Ms Mettam’s view as shortsighted and divisive.

Former federal Indigenous affairs minister Ken Wyatt said Ms Mettam’s stance “pushed Aboriginal people to the side”.

“By not wanting to stand in front of the [Aboriginal] flag, you’re fundamentally wiping them aside, pushing them aside,” he said.

“If we extrapolate the desire not to stand in front of the Aboriginal flag or the Torres Strait Islander flag, then the logic would be why would you stand in front of a flag that has the Union Jack on it?

“Because we are no longer an Anglo-British continent, we are a multi-cultural society that represents a mix of so many people.”

Mr Wyatt said the flag was “not divisive” but recognised Aboriginal peoples’ history of being the first custodians of country.

And Mr Cook said Ms Mettam’s comments were “desperate”.

“Libby is simply going about trying to bring the toxic political culture of Canberra into Western Australia — that’s not the way we do things here in WA,” he said.

Ms Mettam defended her position at a press conference in Bunbury on Friday, saying she “supports a united country behind one national flag”.