This Brisbane Petition Is Calling for the Indigenous Flags to Fly Permanently on the Story Bridge

What's better than one major Australian structure proudly displaying the Aboriginal flag, hoisting it high for everyone to see on a permanent basis? Two, of course. And what would top that? Three, obviously. Actually, watching that list keep on growing would be even better still — but for now, a new petition is calling for Brisbane's Story Bridge to join the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Melbourne's West Gate Bridge in making the Aboriginal flag an enduring fixture.

The e-petition was launched on Wednesday, September 7 by Brisbane City Councillor Kara Cook, who represents the Morningside Ward — and at the time of writing on Thursday, September 8, it has passed 800 signatures.

It doesn't only request that the Aboriginal flag take a berth atop the CBD structure spanning from Kangaroo Point over the Fortitude Valley, but also the Torres Strait Islander flag as well.

In the online document, Cook notes that "only the Australian flag and Queensland flag currently fly on the Story Bridge", with her petition calling "for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be proudly displayed on the bridge" permanently.

Cook raised a motion with Council this week, asking Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner to make the move; however, he declined, saying that the idea was simply stolen from New South Wales — and that the millions it would cost should be used elsewhere.

Oliver Lupton via Wikimedia Commons.

The request to add both flags to the top of the Story Bridge comes mere months after the NSW Government installed the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour Bridge — following a five-year-long campaign by Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka to get that outcome — and after the Victorian Government quickly did the same with the West Gate Bridge.

Also in Aboriginal flag news this year, the Australian Government unveiled a copyright deal at the end of January with Luritja artist Harold Thomas, who designed the symbol, to make it freely available for public use.

For more information about the Brisbane petition to fly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags atop the Story Bridge, head to the Brisbane City Council website.

Top image: Colin Campbell via Flickr.