WA Labor launch slams Liberal leader's flag antics

Giovanni Torre
Giovanni Torre Published February 24, 2025 at 12.00am (AWST)

Noongar business and community leader Colleen Hayward didn't mince words at WA Labor's state election campaign launch on Sunday, firing a clear shot at the Liberal Party's culture war tactics.

Professor Hayward gave a Welcome to Country at the event, something conspicuous in its absence from the Liberal party's campaign launch.

"We don't refuse to stand in front of the Aboriginal flag or deny its existence, even though it is a gazetted flag of Australia," she said.

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam, towing the line from her federal counterpart Peter Dutton, has vowed to remove the Aboriginal flag from press conferences if she becomes premier.

Mr Dutton, a former Queensland police officer who boycotted Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008, has also said he will "work with" the NSW government to remove the Aboriginal flag from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, though even as prime minister he would have no authority to force the issue.

Kimberley MP Divina D'Anna, a Yawuru, Nimanburr and Bardi woman, also spoke at the launch and championed her government's performance and policies for the state's regions.

"Regional WA has not and will not be left behind," she said.

Former WA premier Mark McGowan attended the launch to support current leader Roger Cook, who used the launch to detail his plan to transform WA into a renewable energy powerhouse.

"We simply cannot ignore the biggest and fastest growing power generator that exists in our state right now. Bigger than coal, bigger than gas, and that's our collective rooftop solar," he said, committing $50 million to "turbocharge' the rollout of household batteries, which facilitate 24/7 clean energy supply from solar.

The WA election will be decided on March 8.

   Related   

   Giovanni Torre   

Download our App

@natindigtimes
Article Audio

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.

National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.