On 20 Aug 2000, at 9:08, Trudy & Rod Bray wrote:
> THE AGE
> Aboriginal groups irate over Olympic flag ban
>
> By PADRAIC MURPHY
> Sunday 20 August 2000
>
> In a move that has outraged Aboriginal groups, the Sydney
> Organising Committee for the Olympic Games has banned
> spectators and athletes from taking the Aboriginal flag into
> Games venues.
>
> SOCOG staff have been told to confiscate the flag. People
> who refuse risk being thrown out of the Games.
>
> The ban could be extended to people who wear an image of
> the Aboriginal flag on their clothing.
>
from:http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/fa195361/index.html
FLAGS ACT 1953 - SECT 5
Other flags
The Governor-General may, by Proclamation, appoint such other flags and
ensigns of Australia as he thinks fit.
I think you'll find that the "Aboriginal" flag has been so proclaimed.
ergo: No one has a right to undo what the GG has done, even SOCOG. The
"Aboriginal" flag is one of our Australian national flags.
> The decision means Cathy Freeman will not be allowed to
> repeat her controversial victory performance at the 1994
> Commonwealth Games and wrap herself in the Aboriginal
> and Australian flags should she win the 400 metres final.
>
> "What's so threatening about a piece of red, black and yellow
> material?" asked chairwoman of the Metropolitan Land
> Council in Sydney, Jenny Munro.
>
> "We all have rights in a democracy. These are draconian measures."
>
> SOCOG spokesman Milton Cockburn said the Aboriginal flag would be
> confiscated
> from spectators and competitors, as it breached International Olympic
> Committee
> rules.
>
> "Flags from non-participating countries will be confiscated by our
> access control
> staff," he said.
>
> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission chairman Geoff Clark
> said the ban
> would further inflame tensions between organisers and Aboriginal
> communities in the
> lead-up to the Games.
>
> "Why shouldn't people be able to bring in our flag?" he said "It's
> officially recognised,
> the Games are on Aboriginal land, and the flag acknowledges Aboriginal
> people."
>
> The ban would further Aboriginal groups' resolve to use the Games to
> inform the
> world of their plight, he said.
>
> "The growing frustration of Aboriginal people is obvious," Mr Clark
> said.
>
> Sources said the ban was part of an SOCOG push to make the Games as free of
> controversy as possible.
>
> But Aboriginal groups said the ban was heavy-handed and would present a
> further obstacle to reconciliation.
>
> Ms Munro said the policy had the potential to be a public relations
> disaster, especially
> if Cathy Freeman won gold.
>
> "They will have exactly the sort of trouble they're trying to avoid,"
> she said. "They
> are meant to be trying to promote our flag and our culture."
>
> --
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