STATE Parliament has been urged to a ban the flying rainbow flags as a symbol of gay pride in a petition signed by more than 100 people and delivered by a Liberal backbencher.

The petition, endorsed by 103 residents of Adelaide and broader SA, calls on the Government to “restrict councils or other organisations from displaying a rainbow flag or any other design of a rainbow as a symbol of homosexuality”.

It proposes fines against anyone who defied the order.

The push follows a series of controversies at SA councils including Marion, Copper Coast and Adelaide City over plans to fly the rainbow flag or use ratepayer money to support gay rights.

Liberal MP Michael Pengilly told The Advertiser the petition was organised by a resident of his Fleurieu Peninsula seat of Finniss, which he tabled in Parliament as a “humble” local member.

Under the rules of State Parliament, MPs are “not bound to present a petition, but it is an accepted convention that he or she will present it regardless of the member’s personal views”.

Mr Pengilly said the rainbow flag debate “has aroused some pretty strong emotions” .

“Any of these petitions, I’m duty-bound to present them to the Parliament,” he said.

“My personal view is that I support flying the Australian flag or state flag. I think all the other flags are peripheral quite frankly. That way, it puts a restriction on everything else.”

Mr Pengilly said he would not seek to change state legislation on the matter.

The chief petitioner declined an approach for interview.

Labor minister and marriage equality activist Ian Hunter said: “I would hope that Mr Pengilly supports the ability of councils to celebrate diversity within their community, as I do.”

Greens MP Tammy Franks said introducing fines for displaying the rainbow flag would likely lead to even more people to erect them in protest against attempts to limit free expression.

“I think it’s an error of judgment to have put this petition forward,” Ms Franks said.

“I don’t think that is supportive of all members of his community. It’s quite divisive. This is giving those people a voice and Mr Pengilly should do more to distance himself from it.”

In 2013, Mr Pengilly spoke in Parliament against a push by now-Education and Child Development Minister Susan Close to legislate for state-based gay marriage in SA.

Mr Pengilly said it was an attempt at “social re-engineering” and “I firmly believe that children need a father and a mother, and nothing will dissuade me from that view”.

Mr Pengilly said he respected the rights of “males living with males or females living with females” but believed marriage was an institution that should be reserved for heterosexuals.



http://mobile.news.com.au/national/south-australia/rainbow-flag-would-be-banned-...

When Libs wanted banning of flags ...

bogarde73 wrote on Oct 27^th, 2015 at 7:31am:


We already do. This is the flag that encompasses people like GW, Kat, Monk, JS, etc and their cause.

I would like to see all Councils raise the Catholic Flag. We represent vastly more than the gay population so why not?

Majority?
Catholics 25% and decreasing in Australia is not a majority.

It's more about having homosexuality rammed down our throats by people like you and your ridiculous penchant for silly coloured flags, and other non-normal activities you and others of your ilk consider that it's quite okay to promote to the rest of us normal people.

Muttley wrote on Oct 27^th, 2015 at 8:07am:



Normal is relative.
If sharia law becomes the norm, it would mean you are a non-normal.

Careful about pretending you have a monopoly on 'normal'.

____ wrote on Oct 27^th, 2015 at 7:57am:


And Gays are 1%

Do you even have a point?