Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian flag flies on the shoulder of the Australian Defence Force. I've fought under its colours on the battlefield. Mates of mine who have been killed in battle, died in training or succumbed to their war within have had their coffins draped in the Australian flag. More than 20,000 people have had enough, have signed a document and have said, 'We want this government to legislate to make burning the Australian flag a criminal offence.' It's about time this happened, because the Australian flag is not a bit of cloth; it's a fabric that brings this nation together. Here are 20,000 signatures of those people from around the country. I seek leave to table this petition.

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