A pole axed council

WE ARE now at the point surely where the various parties to the Surf Coast rainbow flag controversy should be able to agree on one thing: It has been too costly an endeavour.

The issue in contention on the Surf Coast has been whether it is the council’s business to use public resources to fly a rainbow flag at the shire offices.

Opponents, including those who support same sex marriage but oppose council intervention on the issue, think the flag has been a mistake.

Supporters on council and outside of it believe it to be a positive gesture to let people feel comfortable knowing they are in a diverse and tolerant area.

At the time the push was also aimed at pressuring the Federal Government into action on same sex marriage.

Ironically enough the whole country has since reached a basic agreement (via postal plebiscite) as to the way forward on that issue and yet the Surf Coast rainbow flag is still causing carnage.

A quick recap on the path of destruction it has reaped: EXPOSED bitter partisan faultlines among the council. PROMPTED a scandal over senior police visiting then mayor Brian McKiterick to tell him to curb his anti-flag views. AND now is said to be at the heart of a dispute that could see the exit of current* mayor David Bell.

This is a council that likes to commit to its mayor in small yearly instalments.

But Cr Bell, who’s been in charge just a few months, might not even go a full lap around the sun.

No one could have predicted this path of rainbow devastation reaped by the flag debate.

But surely all parties, regardless of whether they are pro-flag or anti-flag, should now agree the whole thing has been too big a distraction from core council business.

More senior levels of government are actually progressing the issue while the polarised and pole-axed local council continues to fight among itself about symbols. * subject to outcome of today’s meeting.