Kalbarri RSL takes down Aboriginal flag for Anzac Day, calling for funding for third pole at war memorial

Anzac Day has left residents in one Mid West town divided after the Aboriginal flag was swapped for the New Zealand flag, with the decision blamed on “comments” made in the community and a lack of flag poles at the war memorial. The Kalbarri War Memorial held its Anzac Day services in remembrance of those who served, but some locals were disheartened after the Aboriginal flag was taken down and replaced with the New Zealand flag. Kalbarri RSL president Alex Hack said he raised and lowered the Aboriginal flag, but declined to comment further on the matter. “It was my idea to put it up, but I thought in the interest of community harmony I should pull it down as a result of comments that were made,” he said. Kalbarri Town Talk magazine chair Fred Porter said there were only two flag poles at the memorial and there needed to be a third to recognise the Indigenous contribution on Anzac Day. “Eight of the original Anzac Diggers were actually from Kalbarri and were Aboriginal,” he said. Rachel Mallard, Nhanda woman and granddaughter of Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam veteran Frank Mallard, read a speech during the ceremony and said she was honoured and proud to stand before everyone, but was saddened that the Aboriginal flag was not flying. “I hope that we will all come together as one in the future,” Ms Mallard said. She told the Geraldton Guardian she would be happy if there was a third pole to remember the Indigenous men and women who went to war. “I don’t want a big song and dance about it, but it’s just sad they didn’t acknowledge the Aboriginal soldiers,” she said. “My father used to work at Murchison House, all his brothers went to war, his father went to war. I still got my pop’s jacket. I’ve got a piece of a Japanese plane that crashed.” Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Neil Thomson said he understood the Kalbarri RSL was seeking funding to upgrade the memorial in remembrance of Aboriginal Diggers, including Mr Mallard, and so New Zealand, Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags can be flown all at once. “(The Kalbarri RSL) were certainly were very keen to include representation and acknowledgement of Aboriginal contribution,” he said. “I think that Regional Development Australia could provide some assistance, these groups are doing their best in circumstances and it would be great to see acknowledgment of Frank Mallard.”