"Why do we have all those flags?"

It was one of those questions I would prefer not to answer. I was going past the library yesterday and stopped to answer a question from the mother of three children about library opening hours.

"We're here on holiday," the mother told me, "I thought a visit to the library might be a good thing."

They live in this state so they can use their library cards anywhere. That is definitely a good thing. I explained about library opening hours and where the other library for this council is. That will be open before this one is.

The three children had been running around exploring the park, the (dry) creek bed, the trees and the three flagpoles by the memorial in the corner. They came back when called and that was when the question came out of the oldest child.

The mother looked at me and sighed. Yes, we have three flagpoles. There is our national flag on one. The other two have the "first nations" flag and the "pride" flag on them. 

I left her to explain but rode off wondering why anyone thinks it is necessary to have three flags there. I am also well aware that my view is not shared by many others. They are all for having three flags flying. 

Our present federal government does something similar. Indeed our national flag gets relegated to one side. The "first nations" flag is, more often than not, front and centre. The "islander" flag is not far behind. Our national flag is not treated with any real respect by this government. It might fly above the national parliament building but there is always a small group of people agitating for change. It is considered a reminder of things they claim are best forgotten, that it no longer represents who or what we are. Really?

I disagree. It should be a reminder of where we came from as a nation. There was no "nation" before white settlement. There is a lot more which could be said about our flag and what it represents.  I wonder if the child will ever learn the protocol surrounding the flying of flags?

And I wonder what the mother told her child about the other two flags?