Council orders 'offensive' Aussie flag down

By Hannah Davies
October 09, 2008 12:01am

    * Council tells ex-soldier to take down backyard flag
    * Legal action threatened after neighbour's complaint
    * Council says flagpole could fall down in high winds

A BRISBANE council has ordered an ex-soldier to take down the Australian flag which flies outside his house because it has been deemed "offensive" by a neighbour.

Aaron Wilson erected the 5m high flagpole eight weeks ago, in honour of his friends who served in Iraq, The Courier-Mail reports.

But on Tuesday, Logan City Council called to tell him a neighbour had made a complaint, labelling it "offensive".

He was told to remove the pole or risk legal action. Mr Wilson, whose father fought in Vietnam, said he was disgusted.

"I find it astonishing that anyone could find the Australian flag offensive," he said.

"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.

"I thought the council had better things to do with their time than persecute people for putting a flag up."

Logan City mayor Pam Parker said she backed Mr Wilson. "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 said on ABC radio.

But she could not rule out his having to move the flagpole. A council spokeswoman said there was a concern the flagpole could fall down in high winds.

She said Mr Wilson, who is a salesman, 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.

But Mr Wilson, 30, said other residents in the area had similar flagpoles that were closer to the boundary than his.

He said he would not be moving the flag. "You can't have rules for some people and not for others," he said. "I can't see how moving the flag back a bit is going to stop it being offensive."

Ex-serviceman Cr Ray Hackwood, who represents Mr Wilson's ward, said he would be monitoring the situation.

"As area councillor, I certainly won't allow anyone to pull down an Australian flag," he said.

Mr Wilson's neighbours last night were baffled as to who had complained.

Felicia Maybury, 28, said: "Mr Wilson's got a right to fly his flag in support of his country and his mates who fought for us."
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I live next door to the sort of nutter that would complain... I once got a letter complaining about my 'no-dig' garden bed...