Hurtful Symbolism
![Caricature of Greens leader Adam Bandt carrying the Australian flag over his shoulder. It is ripped in half. He is discarding the other half into a bin labelled 'Green Ideology'. Caricature of Greens leader Adam Bandt carrying the Australian flag over his shoulder. It is ripped in half. He is discarding the other half into a bin labelled 'Green Ideology'.](/sites/default/files/2024-10/2022_th03_07_hurtful-symbolism_spooner.jpg)
John Spooner
Greens leader Adam Bandt was criticised by both the prime minister and the opposition leader after he removed the Australian flag from behind the lectern during a press conference in June. He left the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags in place. When questioned on his action, Bandt said that the Australian flag represented ‘lingering pain’ for First Nations peoples.