THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG UNITES US ALL

The Australian flag is not just a symbol…  it is the beating heart of our nation.

It represents more than just our identity.

It stands for our history, our values, and our unity.

 

It’s a banner that tells the story of who we are… a story of perseverance, of freedom, of courage, and of shared purpose.

 

The flag reminds us of where we’ve come from, of what we’ve overcome, and of the sacrifices that generations of Australians have made to build the nation we’re privileged to live in today.

 

It represents the principles we hold dear… democracy, mateship, resilience, and the unwavering belief in a fair go.

 

Our servicemen and women carried that flag into battle.

They fought beneath it.

And they died under it.

And to those that gave their lives to protect our values, our way of life, the flag was draped over their coffins…  and now flies in their honour.

 

My own grandfather served under that flag in World War II. He, like countless others, left behind the comforts of home and the arms of his family, not knowing if he would ever return. He didn’t serve for recognition. He didn’t serve for political gain. He served for Australia… for the ideals that our flag represents.

 

But his story is not unique.

It’s the story of thousands upon thousands of brave Australians… men and women who stepped forward in times of great need.

Who wore the uniform, bore the burden, and stood for something greater than themselves.

 

And that’s why I will say this plainly and without apology: burning or desecrating the Australian flag is not an expression of free speech.

It is an act of contempt.

It is a direct insult to those who gave their lives for what this flag stands for.

It is a betrayal of our national story, our shared values, and the deep respect we owe to those who served.

 

It is offensive… not only to the memory of our fallen heroes, but to their families, their descendants, and to every Australian who takes pride in our country.

 

Yet here we are… in 2025… witnessing the Australian flag being burned on the streets of our own cities during recent protests.

Our national symbol was torched, stomped on, treated with utter disdain.

 

And what does the Albanese Labor Government do?

Nothing.
Silence.
Crickets.

Not a word of condemnation.
No strong statement from the Prime Minister.
No defence of the values we claim to uphold.

I ask you… every one of you… to reflect honestly:

If it were the Aboriginal flag being set on fire…
If it were the rainbow pride flag being trampled and burned in public…
Would the reaction be the same?

 

Of course not.

 

The media would explode.
Social media would erupt.
There would be wall-to-wall coverage, calls for arrests, and politicians falling over each other to denounce it.

And rightly so.

Because burning any flag in hatred is not an act of unity… it is an act of division.

 

But when it’s the flag that represents ALL Australians… regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or background… when it’s OUR national flag being desecrated… we get silence.

We get inaction.

That is not equality.
That is not unity.
And that is certainly not leadership.

Our flag should not be a political target.

 

It should be a symbol of national pride…

something that brings us together, especially in times when division threatens to tear us apart.

 

One Nation stands firmly and unapologetically for one flag, one people, One Nation.

 

We believe in respect… not just for each other, but for the symbols that unite us.

Symbols that carry the weight of our history and the hope of our future.

 

And so today, I call on every person in this chamber… regardless of party lines… to consider what message we send when we allow our national flag to be desecrated without consequence.

 

If you love this country…
If you believe in our shared values…
If you believe our national flag deserves dignity, honour, and respect…

Then stand with us.

Support our urgency motion.

Let us make it clear that burning or desecrating the Australian flag is not acceptable.

Let’s make it an offence…  just as it always should have been.

Because our flag matters.
Our history matters.
And the people who gave their lives under that flag… they matter.