The NSW government will install a third flagpole on the iconic bridge to fly the Aboriginal flag permanently by the end of the year.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced that the government has committed $25 million to fly the Aboriginal flag on the Sydney Harbour bridge next to the Australian flag and the NSW state flag.
“Our Indigenous history should be celebrated and acknowledged so young Australians understand the rich and enduring culture that we have here with our past,” Perrottet said at the 2022-23 budget announcement on Sunday.
“Installing the Aboriginal flag permanently on the Sydney Harbour Bridge will do just that and is a continuation of the healing process as part of the broader move towards reconciliation.”
The government will install the third flagpole by the end of the year and will match the two existing poles which are about 20 metres high. The pole itself needs to be strong enough to withstand all weather conditions but when Perrottet first announced the plans in February, he said it could take as long as two years to complete the project.
The premier has said that would be too long and that he would “climb up there and put it up myself if I need to”.
Luckily it sounds like that won’t be necessary as the project has become a priority.
Transport for NEW and Aboriginal Affairs will communicate with key Aboriginal stakeholders about the project.
Throughout the budget announcement, Perrottet went on to discuss plans to improve before and after-school care services, committing $37.9 million to the programme.
The government has also committed $206 million toward a sustainable farming program.
The Perrottet government is set to complete the 2022-23 budget this week.
