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Last updated on August 9th, 2017 at 07:39 am

Premier Iemma, the Member for Lakemba—sounds like a line from Dr. Seuss—has a Bondi flag solution:

“There’s no need for a meeting and there’s no need for consultation,” he told reporters.

“If they are short a flag we’ll give them a flag, if they’re short a flag pole I’ll have the Department of Commerce send them a flag pole with the bolts so that the flag and the flag pole can go up at the pavilion immediately.

“If you’re short the work people to do it we’ll send you the people from commerce to do it and just get the flag up.

“They don’t need to have a heritage study, or consultation, or any meetings.”

Seems straightforward enough. Opposition to Waverley Council’s dumbness is widespread:

War veterans groups have spoken out strongly against a decision by an eastern Sydney council not to fly the Australian flag because of concerns it could trigger racial violence.

And the decision by Waverley Council not to fly the Australian flag at the Bondi Beach pavilion has also been opposed by some Islamic leaders.

Today’s editorial in the Daily Telegraph:

Waverley Council’s Green mayor Mora Main and her Labor coalition members have successfully ensured that the beachside suburb’s local governors are the latest byword for abject idiocy.

Because of the council’s inane ban on flying the national flag from the council-controlled Bondi Pavilion, and the weaselly attempts by Ms Mora and her Labor deputy, George Newhouse, to justify their ridiculous decision by claims of cost, heritage concerns and the possibility of stirring racist sentiments, the council has made itself a national laughing stock.

Make that international; the council’s decision is mocked from Hungary to the US. Stupid councillors remain bewildered:

Waverley mayor Mora Main said a decision had not yet been made as to whether the flag issue would be raised at the next council meeting.

“It’s a question of how many flags is enough,” she said.

Three left-wing Labor councillors voted with Ms Main to ban the raising of the flag. A fourth Labor councillor, right winger George Newhouse, was forced to vote with his colleagues despite opposing the ban.

The split in the council’s Labor caucus has now spilt over into ALP branches in the Coogee—which includes Bondi—and Vaucluse state electorates which are predominantly controlled by the left.

Posted by Tim B. on 01/03/2006 at 05:53 PM
    1. Is this the same George Newhouse who is Vivian Solon’s lawyer? Don’t tell me that someone has finally identified him as a Labor hack??!!

      Posted by captain on 2006 01 03 at 07:17 PM • permalink

 

    1. Well, the answer is that everyone in that area should merely put the flag out on their houses and cars…and place a “hunk if you support Australia” sign outside the office of the City Council…

      Heck, in Oklahoma, even the Democrats have flagpoles out back…and before the pc dismiss this as “white flyover America”, I would point out that I lived in a town that was 50percent Osage Indians…

      But not only did the Native Americans fly the flag, so did my house (Asian-American), my neighbor across the street (African American) and most of the white oil well workers…

      Posted by tioedong on 2006 01 03 at 07:29 PM • permalink

 

    1. Click here: http://weekbyweek7.blogspot.com/2006/01/green-left-labor-hijack-waverly.html#links to see the faces of the Councillors involved.

      Posted by WeekByWeek on 2006 01 03 at 07:35 PM • permalink

 

    1. Morris the Lemur said something straightforward, direct, and eminently sensible?

      Posted by Pixy Misa on 2006 01 03 at 07:46 PM • permalink

 

    1. Its only when the left wing, be they Labor or Green’s, actually get power that the public get a full appreciation of their stupidity.

      I enjoy watching the spectacle of the current crop of Waverly lefties proving their idiocy to the electorate.  The short term pain is worth it for exposing them for what they are.  Granting them real power is dangerous, but until that real power has been granted the full horror can never be exposed.  Thankfully the real power in this case is at the miserable local level where little real damage can be done.

      Posted by Ralph Wiggum on 2006 01 03 at 07:49 PM • permalink

 

    1. Hmmm.

      Perhaps someone should run a white flag up the Bondi Beach flagpole?

      Frankly sounds appropriate.

      Posted by memomachine on 2006 01 03 at 07:50 PM • permalink

 

    1. Why don’t they just put up a petard and hoist Premier Dhimmi on it?

      Posted by Mystery Meat on 2006 01 03 at 07:59 PM • permalink

 

    1. I can’t wait for Media Watch to get an denial from the councillors and use it to prove that we’re all imagining it.

      Posted by Cheesie on 2006 01 03 at 08:02 PM • permalink

 

    1. I’m thinking of getting a flagpole for the Waverley property.

      Is it considered poor form not to take it down every night? Anyone know the protocol?

      Posted by Dan Lewis on 2006 01 03 at 08:12 PM • permalink

 

    1. I’m waiting for Bob Brown and Merry Kettle to get in on the act, defending the Council’s decision. Should prove challenging to work in some anti-Howard, anti-Iraq, logging old growth forest lines here? How can we show that it’s all George Bush’s fault?

      Posted by Arnie on 2006 01 03 at 08:23 PM • permalink

 

    1. If you keep it lit up, then you can leave it up all night. If it rains, you should take it down.

      Posted by Sheriff on 2006 01 03 at 08:31 PM • permalink

 

    1. Surely war hero Thom Lyons would defend the Autralian flag from vandals?

      Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 01 03 at 08:34 PM • permalink

 

    1. #10 – Arnie

      im sure their spin doctors are busier than 1 armed paper boys trying to whip something together.

      Posted by knuckleheadwatch on 2006 01 03 at 08:43 PM • permalink

 

    1. #3, Actually the photographs and email addresses
      of the ‘brave’ Waverley Council members reside at
      http://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/talktous/council.asp

      Posted by tmciolek on 2006 01 03 at 09:05 PM • permalink

 

    1. What hath Malcolm wrought?

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 03 at 09:12 PM • permalink

 

    1. Slightly O/T – Standby to see the Palestinian flag flying high over the Geelong Trades Hall Council with Socialist Alliance member Tim Gooden recently elected Secretary. God help the city of Geelong. Also in other SA news (I accidentally visited their website, but don’t worry, I scrubbed my eyeballs with Listerine afterwards) dont miss these fabulous acticles ‘Give Howard the finger’ and ‘Stop the attacks on the muslim and arab communities’ (apparently the muslim arab community remain free to attack the caucasian community), and apparently 600 million-trillion Australians united in rallies against evil hoWARds new IR laws.

      Posted by Skip on 2006 01 03 at 10:10 PM • permalink

 

    1. OT: Andrew Bolt is back from his holidays… In Iraq!

      The governor is irked: “The situation here is very stable. You can ask your soldiers. You can also see incidents in London and anywhere.”

      He blames the foreign media for making all Iraq seem a bloodbath. “They are the enemy of Iraqis.”

      http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17672798%5E25717,00.html

      Posted by Dan Lewis on 2006 01 03 at 10:12 PM • permalink

 

    1. Ms Mora Main Mayor of Waverley Council & Councillor for Lawson Ward uses a form letter to blame the misleading ‘Daily Telegraph’ and inconsiderate attempts to create financial burdens to ratepayers by Mr. Turnbull.

      >To: moram@waverley.nsw.gov.au
      >Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 12:01 PM
      >Subject: Ashamed of Australian flag?
      >
      > Dear Ms Main, Dear Mayor of Waverley Council
      > & Councillor for Lawson Ward
      >
      > I am disappointed.
      > You used to be such a nice and sensible person.
      >
      > What on earth has possessed you that nowdays you are ashamed/contemptuous of
      > public displays of the flag of our country?
      >
      > – with no regards, whatsoever, and no wishes of a happy New Year –
      > …..

      From: “Mora Main” mmain@ozemail.com.au
      Subject: Re: Ashamed of Australian flag?
      Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2006 12:17:57 +1100

      Dear …..
      Thank you for your e-mail.  I can understand your distress given the recent copy in the Daily Telegraph.  The copy in the Daily Telegraph is misleading. There is no ban on flags at Bondi.

      Although we did vote not to put Australian and Aboriginal flags on Bondi Pavilion at this point in time, this was because there are already four Aussie flags at the Bondi Beachfront, two on Council owned surf Club buildings.  There are also Australian & Aboriginal Flags proudly flying from the Council chambers in Bondi Road, and flags in the Mayor’s office itself. How many flags in Waverley is enough?

      We all love our country no matter what our backgrounds.  However, Mr. Turnbull’s offer of a flag has not considered the total additional financial burden to Waverley’s ratepayers, which as Mayor I must protect.

      I have invited Mr. Turnbull and Mr Iemma to meet to discuss options, and if more flags are agreeable to Waverley’s residents & its visitors, how we can make this sustainable for ratepayers.

      Thank you for your concern
      Yours faithfully,
      Mora Main

      Posted by tmciolek on 2006 01 03 at 10:30 PM • permalink

 

    1. However, Mr. Turnbull’s offer of a flag has not considered the total additional financial burden to Waverley’s ratepayers, which as Mayor I must protect.

      What utter bullshit. The Bondi and Waverley environs have been turned into a money-making circus of everything from exorbitant parking fees and fast food joints to hiring out the beach for dance parties over the christmas/new year period.

      The place is becomming a tip that is infested every summer by drunken Europeans hell bent on having a good time. I cant believe that people pay $1m plus to live in such a poorly served dump.

      Waverley Council is an utter disgrace, rather than deal with the things it should be doing it wastes time on these petty political statements.

      Posted by Nic on 2006 01 03 at 10:39 PM • permalink

 

    1. Just think how much money cities can save if they just provided no services.  If they can just get rid of those pesky citizens everything would be fine.

      Posted by Pat Patterson on 2006 01 03 at 10:43 PM • permalink

 

    1. Left can raise the hammer and sickle flag.

      Posted by stackja1945 on 2006 01 03 at 11:09 PM • permalink

 

    1. #20. Parking meters with no parkers?

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 03 at 11:24 PM • permalink

 

    1. Has Iemma aranged to fix the Flag outside the Lakemba Poice Station …. yet?

      Posted by missinglink on 2006 01 03 at 11:57 PM • permalink

 

    1. Surely ridding the council of 6 or so councillors would save enough to fund a small Australian flag? As a matter of fact it might fund a few services as well.

      Posted by larrikin on 2006 01 04 at 12:03 AM • permalink

 

    1. Heck, in Oklahoma, even the Democrats have flagpoles out back…and before the pc dismiss this as “white flyover America”, I would point out that I lived in a town that was 50percent Osage Indians…

      tioedong — That makes you travois-across America…

      Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 01 04 at 12:05 AM • permalink

 

    1. #23 Good point.  Perhaps they’re waiting on a donation from the federal government?  It’s not just the flag you understand. They need 24/7 security to keep it from being torched… and private security guards don’t come cheap.

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 04 at 12:12 AM • permalink

 

    1. I think flying a bunch of Aussie flags would be great.

      But, just to make sure everybody’s all tolerant as hell and stuff, try adding a couple of US flags to the mix.  Might be a couple of Yanks somewhere on the sand.  They ought to feel at home, too.

      You could sell tickets for this scrum big time.

      Posted by aubrey on 2006 01 04 at 12:31 AM • permalink

 

    1. Went to an upscale New Year’s Eve party.
      Wine from Venezuela, lots of Aussie stuff, some South African, some California.  Chile.
      No French stuff.
      People are going a long way, so to speak, to get their wine from elsewhere.
      The local stores’ shelf space for French wine is shrinking, being taken over by the downunder juice.

      Posted by aubrey on 2006 01 04 at 12:34 AM • permalink

 

    1. #27.  And plenty of St George Cross flags…

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 04 at 12:39 AM • permalink

 

    1. A few questions:
      Why is Mora Main continuing to stress that there are flags at the council chambers and at the mayor’s office?  Is that not the norm? Is there some other method of identifying government buildings and seats of government in Australia?
      Secondly, who is the councilmember who said he/she voted for the ban, but didn’t want to?
      Thirdly, does that long letter from that one councilman that’s in the other thread come with a header?

      Posted by Donnah on 2006 01 04 at 12:43 AM • permalink

 

    1. I’ve noticed various clusters of new flagpoles in Melbourne’s inner city flying the Australian flag: Bracks or the Lord Mayor can apparently afford them.

      Posted by Andrew R on 2006 01 04 at 01:21 AM • permalink

 

    1. O/T. Another one to file under “Police stumped – no leads”:

      “POLICE want to question four men over an incident in which a woman was threatened with a handgun and shots fired at a house in Sydney’s southwest.

      The woman was talking with the men in a dark blue, late-model sedan about 7.30pm (AEDT) yesterday outside a house in Hart Street, Smithfield, when an argument broke out, police said today.
      During the argument, the front-seat passenger produced a handgun and threatened the woman, a friend of the family who lived in the house.
      The passenger then got out of the car and fired a number of shots at the house, before returning to the vehicle and speeding off towards Victoria Street.
      Several bullets struck the house, but no one was injured, police said.

      Investigators said all four men were described as being of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance.”

      Posted by larrikin on 2006 01 04 at 01:41 AM • permalink

 

    1. #22.  They would still collect the taxes, its just that the citizens would get no services. The budget would always balance and spent on the really, really important things.  Like Sister City programs, with, say, Berkley or Ann Arbor.

      Posted by Pat Patterson on 2006 01 04 at 01:44 AM • permalink

 

    1. OK, OK, Berkeley!

      Posted by Pat Patterson on 2006 01 04 at 01:47 AM • permalink

 

    1. #33. “They would still collect the taxes, its just that the citizens would get no services.”

      We are very rapidly approaching that end point anyway.  Most 3rd world countries are already there.

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 04 at 02:37 AM • permalink

 

    1. I found this encouraging, even if it was treated as minor and irrelevant –
      “And the decision by Waverley Council not to fly the Australian flag at the Bondi Beach pavilion has also been opposed by some Islamic leaders.”

      Posted by John Anderson on 2006 01 04 at 04:26 AM • permalink

 

    1. Sounds like what we’ve got around here…  These days, if they can get away with it (and thanks to the brain-damaged portions of Seattle, they usually can), the polticians around here will fund fire and police services by tax levy rather than from the budget, lest they put undue strain on public arts funding…  But at least once they add $40 million in art to it we’ll have the prettiest sewer in the world.

      Posted by Vexorg on 2006 01 04 at 04:29 AM • permalink

 

    1. The ratbags are focusing on local councils because most aussies dont pay much attention to them. Voting is not compulsory so a small committed mob can have a status way outside their numbers. Combine that with a few NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) in the area and the loons get members elected.
      Still quite enligtening what they get up to with only a local area to play with.

      Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 01 04 at 05:12 AM • permalink

 

    1. Waverley Council had no problem flying enormous anti-war banners and flags off Council chambers.

      Who do you suppose paid for those?

      They should fix up Waverley before getting involved in International Politics and passing resolutions pertaining to the United Nations.
      http://www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/council/meetings/2003minutes/0302/council.htm

      Idiots.

      5 Million bucks a year in parking meters and they can’t even fix streetlights or clean up garbage, but they can tell the UN what to do. In a race for uselessness between the UN and Waverley Council, it would be a tough call.

      Posted by Dan Lewis on 2006 01 04 at 05:55 AM • permalink

 

    1. #38. Yes, except on occassions when a particular issue riles the locals.  Perhaps you remember one such, when it was mooted to change the Australian flag?

      The Liberal Party basically turned the council elections into a referendum on the flag.  The “ratbags” you refer to were very pissed off.

      Posted by Brett_McS on 2006 01 04 at 06:35 AM • permalink

 

    1. Come to think of it, there may be a possibility that a few Israelis would be vacationing at Bondi.
      Traditional Aussie hospitality would surely see that a couple of Israeli flags were flying.
      Making guests feel welcome and all that.

      Posted by aubrey on 2006 01 04 at 09:07 AM • permalink

 

    1. John Anderson,

      I found this encouraging, even if it was treated as minor and irrelevant –

      “And the decision by Waverley Council not to fly the Australian flag at the Bondi Beach pavilion has also been opposed by some Islamic leaders.”

      Dont trust the islamic moderates, they prolly just want some calm so islam doesn’t look bullying around all the Cronulla Maroubra stuff.

      here is the real face of Keyser Trad:

      “our ideology is the best salvation for the people of Australia, and the people of the world in general. Yes, we are a threat to the culture of drunkenness, paedophilia, and mostly we are a big threat to the culture of ELITISM.”
      “In a way, they feel safe because of the quantity of water which surrounds this country, so they feel fortified behind this great body, it gives them a feeling of security. But the reality is, the land belongs to God, not to them, and if those foreigners, whom they fear as migrants are not permitted to enter as migrants, they will come as settlers, in numbers so large that they will not be able to process them, hold them, or stop them. What will they do then? If these foreigners who are restraining themselves, because they see a legal hope, that they can come to this vast mainly uninhabited land for whatever reason, are told that there is no longer a legal way to come here, what will they do?”

      Sounds like the answer to Keysers Question is Jihad on Australia.

      http://www.islam.org.au/articles/16/RACISM.HTM

      Posted by meredith- on 2006 01 04 at 09:18 AM • permalink

 

    1. A fourth Labor councillor, right winger George Newhouse…

      Poor George! The right calls him a lefty and the left calls him a righty.

      Posted by slammer on 2006 01 04 at 09:40 AM • permalink

 

    1. You Ozzies, think you have as right to fly the Australian flag over soverign Australian territory. What a bunch of dimwits. All you have to do is turn over Cronulla to the ROP and they’ll have no more demands. I do wonder how the Bondi Beach girls will look. Do they make topless burkhas?

      Posted by Abu Qa’Qa on 2006 01 04 at 10:03 AM • permalink

 

    1. Abu Qa’Qa: “Do they make topless burkhas?”
      Only if they consider you an infidel.

      Posted by MikeTheLibrarian on 2006 01 04 at 01:13 PM • permalink

 

    1. My question is why do we need to fly an Aboriginal flag? It’s not as if the Aboriginal people were a nation that hyad cloth let alone the idea of a national symbol.  The Aboriginal flag is therefore a political symbol and is as such divisive. it should not be flown in places like Waverley where there are no more than 6 aboriginal people in a population of a hunderd thousand.

      Posted by Toryhere2 on 2006 01 04 at 05:21 PM • permalink

 

    1. I just sent this letter to my local (left dominated council) – clearly Bondi isn’t an isolated occurance – ya recon i’ll get an answer?

      Dear General Manager Ashfield council

      Why is the Italian Flag given pride of place in the centre with our national flag and the aboriginal flag at either side. At the council park in Ramsay Rd Haberfield?

      Regards

      Posted by knuckleheadwatch on 2006 01 04 at 07:23 PM • permalink

 

    1. Poor George! The right calls him a lefty and the left calls him a righty.

      And some would call him a Jew Bastard and (amazingly) use him as proof that Jews run government.

      OT: Ariel Sharon has been admitted to hospital again and it looks very, very grim.

      Posted by Dan Lewis on 2006 01 04 at 08:01 PM • permalink

 

    1. #47.  It’s discouraging to think how many stupid people have responsibilities that they are just incapable of carrying out. These are probably the same people that think jumping up and down after intercourse prevents babies and STDs.

      Posted by Pat Patterson on 2006 01 04 at 08:14 PM • permalink

 

    1. What this country is short of is enough backbone to tell newcomers to abide by Australian rules, regulations, traditions or leave immediately.
      What we do not need is an emasculated police force or an Immigration dept who do not put our country’s needs first.
      We do not need a minority who makes their own rules.
      We have a real shortage of politicians who listen to us.

      Posted by waussie on 2006 01 04 at 11:50 PM • permalink

 

    1. meredith, in answer to Keyser Trad. The japs tried that one, it didn’t work then either.
      I agree with Toryhere, the aboriginal flag is their cultural flag—not ours.
      There is one flag, one Australia.

      Posted by waussie on 2006 01 05 at 12:09 AM • permalink

 

    1. wassie,

      most people will look to the moderate islamists in desperation now that its broken out.

      Keyser is such a fluff ball these days, show his filthy speech far and wide hey,

      The moderate muslims are a lying pack of hyenas

      Posted by meredith- on 2006 01 05 at 03:12 AM • permalink

 

    1. 31 Andrew R.  In Melbourne, they’ve just increased the parking meter price to about $3.50/hr (or thereabouts).

      They have parking inspectors hanging about and those ghosts are ruthless. RUTHLESS! I tell you.

      Add to that a tendency for the clocks on the meters to run a bit fast……

      I know that one because I used to go into town for lunch on a regular basis, and always compared my clock with the meter clock. It’s amazing how often I would think I had 5 minutes left only to find I was still a couple of minutes short.

      A couple of minutes is a long time in parking meterland.

      I’m not the only one with that complaint, either. Friends of mine have also whinged about it, and I even read a report of complaints to the council once. Can’t remember where, though, so I can’t cite sources.

      Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 01 05 at 07:07 AM • permalink

 

    1. Regarding flags, I don’t own an Aussie one, although I have the Stars and Stripes hanging on my kitchen wall.

      I’d like to have both Aussie and US flags out front, but living in the heart of Bogan Central, I’m not too sure how the ferals up the road would handle it.

      Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 01 05 at 07:09 AM • permalink

 

    1. Didn’t know there was such a organisation called the Australian National Flag Association … I suppose everything you want to know about the Aussie flag, is there … including how to fly it at Bondi Beach …

      Posted by Stevo on 2006 01 05 at 06:57 PM • permalink

 

    1. Must we keep hearing mora Mora?

      Posted by crash on 2006 01 06 at 05:41 AM • permalink

 

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