Brisbane man told to remove "offensive" Aussie flag

[minux]

What is this country coming too?

A Queensland man says he will disregard an order by a council in south-east Queensland to lower his Australian flag, after a neighbour complained it was "offensive".
Logan City resident Aaron Wilson erected a five metre flagpole eight weeks ago to honour friends who served in Iraq.
On Tuesday, council staff at Logan City just south of Brisbane contacted Mr Wilson to tell him a neighbour had complained.
Mr Wilson was told he could face legal action if the flagpole was not removed.
"I find it astonishing that anyone could find the Australian flag offensive," he told the Courier-Mail.
"My family and friends have served for the country and the very least I can do is have a flag to show my appreciation for Australia."
A Logan City Council spokeswoman said there was concern the flagpole could fall down in high winds.
She said Mr Wilson needed a building permit, because the pole was only 4.5m from the kerb and, under the Queensland Development Code, it should be at least 6m from the front.
Mr Wilson said he would not be moving the flag.
"I can't see how moving the flag back a bit is going to stop it being offensive," he said.
Logan City mayor Pam Parker said she backed Mr Wilson in his desire to fly the national flag.
However, Ms Parker could not rule out his having to move the flagpole.
"I am offended that somebody should complain to the council about the Australian flag, and whoever they are should hang their head in shame," she told ABC Radio.
Ms Parker said the flagpole had "setback issues" which she would discuss with council officers.

[CSP]

I find the person who told the council the flag was offensive offensive so kindly remove them from my country!

[stocky]

good to see the mayor supports the flag flyer and not the bull**** rules

[88GreenVN]

Compliance issue. That can be fixed.

But to say the Aussie flag is offensive - thats a big "opps"

I agree with CSP ^^ remove them from the country if they thing the national flag is offensive.

[TVR-190]

if i was him, id erect another 5 or 6 flagpoles on my front lawn

[BullittSV6]

**** like this makes my blood boil. Diggers would be turning in their grave if they knew about this. How on Earth is a country's flag offensive? It should invoke feelings of pride. Ladies and Gents, I think we've found a new definition for Unaustralian.

[EvoVIIIJDM]

Im going to bite the bullet and assume the type of person that would find it offensive and you all know what im thinking and you all know that im on the money.

This country has gone crazy stupid with this ****e. If you find the Aussie flag offensive go back where you came from. What if someone from say Lebanon put up their flag i can assure they would not be asked to remove it in fear of racism. What a load of BS.

[crazyspoon05]

Totally ridiculous, anyone who finds the Australian flag offensive should **** off to wherever they came from, an Aussie flag flying in someone's yard shouldn't be seen as offensive and luckily the council sees it the same

[nicko]

I find the person who told the council the flag was offensive offensive so kindly remove them from my country!

That would have to be the best thing yo have ever said on JC. Counld'nt agree anymore.

How about a big sign pointing at the neighbour saying, "this man hates Australia" im sure a few 'bra boys' or so they are called would sort him out lol.

[88GreenVN]

I like to see the flag flying around my suburb - we have a few and I think its great to see.

[jas98]

wtf??? this is Australia...we are proud of our country and have the right to fly the Australian flag in this country...as it is bloody Australia!!!........don't like it? **** off back to where you came from!!

people like this (ones complaining its offensive) should never have been allowed in this country

[Troy711]

I find the person who told the council the flag was offensive offensive so kindly remove them from my country!

I would have said the same except a little more offensive lol

[BullittSV6]

And its good to see the mayor put their balls on the line and stand up for the flag flyer, a lot of mayors would just sit on the fence on the issue for fear of offending anyone

[Bravotwozero]

I can see the argument. Too many bogans using the aussie flag and southern cross as a sign of superiority.
Same as the unions continue to bastardise the Eureka flag. I don't think the article is telling the full story.

[padrickz88]

What if someone from say Lebanon put up their flag i can assure they would not be asked to remove it in fear of racism. What a load of BS.

Im pretty sure they would be asked to remove it.
One of my mates a couple years ago had the turk flag out the window of his car when he was coming back from a soccer game (like you would with your scarf for your footy team) and he got pulled over and told unless he has an aussie flag to display at the same time he can not show the turkish flag....

I dont get it how people think any flag is offensive, i dont even know how they could think it? possibly just someone stirring **** because they dont like there neighbor?
Even if they are offended, there idiots, i have mates that there parents are form oversea's and they will happily admit australia is better then the country there parents are from

[minux]

I can see the argument. Too many bogans using the aussie flag and southern cross as a sign of superiority.
Same as the unions continue to bastardise the Eureka flag. I don't think the article is telling the full story.

I think this lane is safe to say it isn't about superiority or anything like that

"My family and friends have served for the country and the very least I can do is have a flag to show my appreciation for Australia."

It's called pride. People who have been a part of the armed forces generally have a bit more of it than your typical Bogan Aussie. I know myself I wouldn't use our flag just to "be superior".

[MasterOfReality]

I can see the argument. Too many bogans using the aussie flag and southern cross as a sign of superiority.
Same as the unions continue to bastardise the Eureka flag. I don't think the article is telling the full story.

Yeah I was thinking the same sort of thing, although more of a jumping to conclusions type of idea.

I'm thinking it was just a complaint about adhering to council regulations. Probably from a disgruntled neighbour who was denied planting something on their nature strip.

Yet that article sounds like the resident has jumped to conclusions over it being offensive, and the mayor is trying to minimise damage over council regulations by backing him up.

Something doesn't read right in that article.

They sure make them different down Logan way

[calais_304]

wouldn't mind finding out were this bloke lives and covering the street in lil aussie flags :P, but seriously thats just stupid...im surprised the person who took the call didn't rofl and hang up...

[TVR-190]

i usually fly twin aussie flags off my car, not as a sign of superiority, im just damn proud to be an Australian.

[Cobez]

I'll tell you what this country is coming to. It's coming to a non Australian country anymore. Sorry if this ****es anyone off, but i am sick to death of this kind of thing happening in our own ****ing country. I'll bet if someone whacked up a bloody Pakistani, Chinese, Greek, Italian or Japanese flag, they wouldn't be asked to take it down, because it would be considered "racist", but when this countrys own Australian blooded citizens put up a flag for their own country, it's deemed "offensive".

Get well and truly ****ed up your stupid asses. This country is turning to absoloute ****. Foreigners come over on bloody student visa's to "study" and get a good "education", yet they go out and get jobs, refuse to learn the english language, and now Australian citizens can't put up a flag in their own country. I know this first hand because 3 indians work at my place of employment, they all came over on student visa's, never studyed a day here in their lives, take up our jobs and cram 7 people into one small unit in Caulfield down here in Victoria.

Jesus ****ing christ this makes my blood boil. I'll bet his bloody neighbour isn't even Australian. Look our Victoria's mayor up until recently, bloody John So.

Tough, if anyone finds this post "offensive", gee, why don't i just take it down along with my Australian flag, take up a foreign language and forget speaking English and drive a bloody Supra. Get ****ed.

[stocky]

i find chinatown offensive. knock it down please

[LightningVP]

Very disgraceful!!! Yet the guy around the corner from me can have the "skull and cross bones" in his yard... Had a thought of having my own stall thing on Swanson street selling AUSSIE snags, then wondered if they would allow it, after this I doubt they would

[LightningVP]

i find chinatown offensive. knock it down please

Exactly, why is it every state/territory in the world has to have a china town? I wanna see an aussie town

[Tom_1569]

Cobez is on the money.
I dont even know what to write, its just plain ****ing disgusting.
As anyone that knows me will know I'm extremly racist have been in alot of trouble for my racist slurs.
We have fobs (fresh of the boat) Africans at our TAFE. They cant speak a ****ing word of english, yet they want to learn 5 different programming languages at once, which are all written in American english. It shouldnt be allowed, even the teachers are complaining bevause they are not allowed to put "English" as a pre-req for the course, instead we have heap of black bastards who cant speak a word of english, who are rude and aggressive to teachers and students, aswell as allways have their hoochy ringtones going off constantly. Though what ****es me off is that these imports are getting given houses and cars just to come here, and what for? We dont need people, and we dont need people who refuse to learn our language. Whens the goverment going to buy me a house and a car? ****ing never instead I pay just to drive my car.

The ones that can speak English have a ****ing mouth of them, and I have been circled by a group of 5 of them because apparently I was looking at them earlier on.

Also went to a night club (inferno for those playing along at home), I was given the sweep with the metal detector and asked to remove my wallet phone and coins etc, so were alot of other people mind you. Except a fob is allowed to walk around with a long ass chain from his back pocket to a ring on his finger, that he walked around crowds of people swinging, and nearly hit my lady friend with.

And they wonder why Cronulla happened, open your ****ing eyes Australia, get some ****ing pride back.

[B£å¢kÐðg]

Just heard on a news update (if you believe channel 10) the council has done a back flip and are going to allow him to fly the flag