Senator Price Defends Calls to Criminalise Australian Flag Burning

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has intensified her campaign to criminalise the burning of the Australian flag, describing such acts as a betrayal and ultimate disrespect to the nation and its soldiers. She emphasized the flag's symbolic importance, linking it to national pride and unity, and criticized the presence of multiple flags as divisive. The call comes after recent protests where the flag was burned and waved by various groups, including anti-immigration demonstrators, prompting debates about the flag's evolving symbolism. Historian Graeme Davison noted that while the Australian flag was once a symbol of unity and veneration, it has recently become a more personal and sometimes divisive emblem, especially when used in protests. The issue has sparked wider discussions on national identity and the potential weaponisation of the flag in social and political contexts. Price's proposal to criminalise flag burning has faced opposition, but she asserts it reflects the views of many Australians who feel pride in the national emblem.