25 million for Aboriginal flag on Sydney bridge: ‘Small price for unity’

A small bite out of the budget but a big step towards reconciliation; This is how the Australian state government of New South Wales explains its decision to install a third mast on Sydney Harbor Bridge, one of the city’s landmarks.

Once built, the mast will be able to permanently display the Aboriginal flag alongside the flags of Australia and New South Wales. It has been one of the flags with official status in Australia since 1995. The flagpole is expected to be installed at the end of this year.

The cost raises Australian eyebrows. 25 million dollars was reserved for the mast, almost converted to 17 million euros.

“That’s the cost, of course,” said New South Wales Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet. The masts of the Sydney Harbor Bridge are 20 meters high and the flags hanging from them are 9 meters by 4.5 meters. A special construction is needed to make the posts resistant to the harshest weather conditions.

close the gap

Perrottet: “We have made an important decision. I think it brings unity to our country and that is a small price to pay for unity.” The Prime Minister said it was important to “recognize and celebrate Indigenous history so that young Australians can understand the rich and enduring culture that our past has produced”.

The money comes from the Closing the Gap budget. This is a government program aimed at reducing the socio-economic disadvantage of Aboriginal people. New South Wales is investing A$400 million in the company over the next four years.

The decision for the third pillar was already taken in February. A local artist started a petition signed by 177,000 people. At the time, it was expected that it would take two years for the mast to be ready, but it could be done faster, according to Prime Minister Perrottet.

Source: NOS

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