A petition calling for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be installed on Brisbane's Story Bridge has received the support of two prominent Indigenous leaders.
Morningside Ward representative Kara Cook said it was time for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be "proudly displayed on the bridge".
The bridge already flies the Australian and Queensland flags.
Mick Gooda, co-chair of the Queensland Treaty Advancement Committee and a former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner of the Australian Human Rights Commission, said displaying the flags was part of a Path to Treaty and truth telling in Brisbane.
"The more visible we are the better," he said.
"We've come so far in the last 25 years. I think having the flag on one of the city's landmarks would be good."
Commissioner for the Queensland Family and Child Commission and Gamilaraay Yinnar woman Natalie Lewis agreed.
Cr Cook asked Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner in the council's meeting this week why the two Indigenous flags weren't flying.
She put a motion to the chambers which was debated but ultimately shelved.
Cr Cook said she submitted the petition to the council's website after the debate and within two hours of going live on Wednesday it had garnered more than 200 signatures.
By Thursday morning there were more than 600 supporters.
Cr Schrinner said the option had been investigated but it would cost several million dollars to install two new flagpoles on the heritage structure.
After accusing Cr Cook of taking the idea for the question from a similar request that occurred in Sydney recently, Cr Schrinner said he supported all Australian flags, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
"I have a number of times in the past looked at putting additional, newer, bigger flagpoles on the Story Bridge, and the response on every occasion is it would be a very long and expensive process, costing several million dollars to do that," Cr Schrinner said.
"Everyone knows I support the Australian flag and everyone knows equally I support flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and even the Queensland flag.
"Based on my direction we are flying those flags here in the chambers. We also do so in King George Square and in my office.
"Our record is very clear on this.
"[It] comes down to a simple thing of cost and ability on what is a heritage structure."
Cr Schrinner also said an Indigenous flag was permanently flown on the Neville Bonner CityCat ferry.
'Tell elected officials what we're thinking': Gooda
Mr Gooda, a Gangulu man, said cost was definitely a factor to consider in raising the Indigenous flags on the Story Bridge.
"We saw what happened in Sydney when the premier said he wanted to do that and it was going to cost $25 million, but Brisbane too could take one of the other flags down and fly the Aboriginal one," he said.
"We can't be outrageous, I think $25 million was a bit over the top.
"It has to be within reason."
Mr Gooda also supported Cr Cook's petition describing it as "part of citizenship activism to keep our elected arm accountable".
"Put a bit of pressure on people — tell people what we're thinking," he said.
"In the last 20-odd years, the visibility of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has increased so much.
"I was at [Queensland University of Technology] the other day and heard how built environment impacts people's attitudes and the bridge would be a good place for the flag.
"A lot of people say it's just symbolic. Well, if you think that, go ask someone who marches on Anzac Day if they think a flag is only symbolic."
Ms Lewis said permanent flags would "evoke pride among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Brisbane and a recognition of our enduring connection to country and culture".
"Visual representations of the significant, continuing contributions and lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Queensland are particularly important as we proceed on the path to treaty," she said.
"It would be a simple but important step towards reconciliation.
"Should the petition be supported, I would like to see First Nations businesses engaged to complete any works required.
"I encourage community leaders to think about ways in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture can be perpetually and meaningfully represented in public spaces, for example, by adopting traditional First Nations place names and displaying traditional words in public places."
'It's time' for flag to be flown
Cr Cook called on the Lord Mayor to "show leadership on this".
"Reconciliation is something that should be a priority for our city, and this is one way we can stand with our First Nations communities," she said.
"Brisbane City Council's Reconciliation Action Plan that was released just this week, makes no mention about flying the flag on the Story Bridge — which is what we are calling for.
"Other major cities across Australia have the Aboriginal flag installed.
"It is time for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be proudly displayed on the bridge."
Cr Schrinner said he met with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in Brisbane last week and a flag on the Story Bridge "was not an issue they raised with me".
"I suspect if you ask them they'd prefer money invested into other programs as well," he said.
