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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Elections & Politics

Coalition Denies Flag-Burning Ban Is an Attempt to Undercut One Nation

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • The Coalition has rejected claims that its proposed ban on burning the Australian flag seeks to weaken One Nation.
  • The policy would create criminal offences for flag burning and defacing historical monuments, with penalties of up to one year in prison, and legislate January 26 as Australia Day.
  • Labor has described the push as having an “element of desperation”, while One Nation has previously supported criminal penalties for flag burning.

Angus Taylor has rejected claims that the Coalition’s plan to criminalise burning the Australian flag is designed to undercut One Nation, insisting the penalties are needed to “stand up for our country”.

The policy unveiled on Sunday would create new criminal offences for burning the Australian flag and defacing historical monuments. It would also legislate January 26 as Australia Day. People convicted under the proposed measures could face up to a year in prison.

stand up for our country

· Angus TaylorTaylor used the phrase while defending proposed penalties for burning the Australian flag.

The proposal enters a political debate in which One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has already called for criminal penalties for flag burning. A petition organised by the party attracted about 50,000 signatures last year.

Labor has criticised the Coalition’s push, saying it contains an “element of desperation”. Taylor, however, has denied that the proposal aims to take votes or attention from One Nation and has framed it as a measure to defend national symbols.

element of desperation

· LaborLabor used the phrase to criticise the Coalition’s proposed flag-burning offences.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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