James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition government proudly supports the Australian flag. It is a symbol of the values for which our country stands and a beacon of the freedoms and liberties for which countless brave Australians have fought. However, we do not support moves to criminalise burning or defacing our flag. The coalition has never supported criminalisation, a position held since the Howard government and supported by the then leaders of the Australian National Flag Association. Such a crime would only create an incentive for protesters to martyr themselves by inviting prosecution, giving them the attention they seek and legitimising their vile acts as a form of political protest. State and territory police can already arrest and charge flag burners under public order laws, including public nuisance and disturbing the peace. As such, we oppose parts (b) and (c) and would ask that the question on part (a) be put separately from the question on those parts.