West Wimmera Shire Council has made a spectacular backflip and will now permit rainbow flags to fly from council poles in its five major towns following a community backlash over comments made by the mayor a fortnight ago.
The change of heart comes in time for the flag to be flown on one of the world's most significant days for the queer community — International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (IDAHoBIT), which is next Tuesday, May 17.
The Victorian council on the South Australian border will now allow non-official flags to be flown on designated flagpoles.
Although a majority of councillors voted against the idea last month, yesterday they resolved to erect community flagpoles in the region's five largest towns — Edenhope, Kaniva, Apsley, Goroke and Harrow — and fly non-official flags that are provided by community groups.
The ABC has confirmed the pride flag will definitely be flying in Edenhope and Kaniva next week, and in the other towns if flags can be sourced in time.
The council's new direction on the issue followed a meeting in late April when Mayor Bruce Meyer raised the ire of local pride advocates for saying it was not the council's role to make "moral judgements".
"As far as making moral judgements, they are decided by law, by state and federal governments," he said at the time.
"And gay marriage has been legalised. There are lots of issues.
"You've got to equate this to — there are many people who want the Marriage Act changed so that 12-year-old girls can marry."
Yesterday, the vote to install new flagpoles was unanimous, while the council also voted four to one to display the rainbow flag on council buildings should the community flagpoles not be ready by IDAHoBIT.,
Cr Meyer was the only member of council to vote against that motion.
At the April meeting, councillors Jodie Pretlove and Tom Houlihan voted with Cr Meyer to reject a motion to fly the rainbow flag. Both had a change of heart this week.
"I'm happy to support this and get this happening, and I see a community flagpole as a wonderful way of including different groups that are requesting to fly certain flags," Cr Pretlove said.
Pride outweighs disappointment
Wimmera Pride Project advocate Patrick Quaine said his offer to supply the flag remained.
"There has been a motion to raise a rainbow flag in five different towns so we need to find out what they're expecting of us and that they understand that we're a non-profit organisation with limited funds," he said.
"I suppose it's disappointing that it took national news for the council to reconsider its motion and not just do something that would help a part of their community — valuable people that are part of their community, as one councillor said during the meeting."
Mr Quaine said seeing the flag raised would make LGBTIQA+ people feel safe and included, particularly those who "hadn't felt that way in the past couple of weeks after mayor Meyer's comments".
The person who first wrote to West Wimmera asking the council to fly the rainbow flag declined to comment when contacted by the ABC.
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