FACT CHECK: Did Kate Dezarnaulds misrepresent Andrew Constance’s comments about the Aboriginal flag?
Australia recognises three official flags: the Australian national flag, the Aboriginal flag, and the Torres Strait Islander flag. These flags are often flown together to show respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to promote reconciliation. Since 2022, all three have been displayed at prime ministerial press conferences. Before that, only the Australian flag was shown.
At a Sky News broadcast in February 2025, Liberal candidate for Gilmore Andrew Constance stated, “We have one national flag,” and expressed pride that his leader, Peter Dutton, “will only stand in front of the Australian flag.” Independent candidate Kate Dezarnaulds interpreted this as support for Dutton’s position of excluding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags from press events.
When later asked about the exchange by the ABC, Kate expressed strong opposition to what she perceived as a divisive stance. Constance subsequently accused her of misrepresenting his views and extracted an apology from ABC Illawarra.
The core of the disagreement lies in whether Kate’s interpretation was a fair reflection of the intent of Constance’s original comments. In the spirit of transparency, the details of all relevant coverage are below.
Sequence of Events & Direct Quotes
Watch: Sky News ‘The Pub Test’ at Malua Bay (February 2025)
Audience Question:
“If you are elected, would you display our Australian flag proudly in your office or shop front?”
Andrew Constance:
“In my campaign office in Nowra right now, the Australian flag's flying. We have one national flag. We have one national flag. And I'm very proud that my leader has indicated that he will only stand in front of the Australian flag.”
Kate Dezarnaulds:
“Absolutely. Oh, this country is absolutely one of the most extraordinary places that you could possibly be privileged to be born, grow up, raise a family in. There is absolutely nothing but pride about the fact that I'm an Australian.”
ABC Illawarra interview later that week with Nick McClaren
Nick McClaren:
“Now another issue that came up at this forum …we’ve seen Peter Dutton take a different stance on flying of the Aboriginal flags. Currently when the prime minister makes a speech or when there are a lot of civic ceremonies the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag will be flown next to the Australian flag. This came up as an issue at the forum. What was your recollection of what happened?”
Kate Dezarnaulds:
“That he pledged that he would never stand in front of an Aboriginal flag. And I managed to maintain a poker face for much of the forum but at that point I was aghast. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags are equally official flags of Australia and what a slap in the face and what a divisive statement. It's those sorts of swings to the far right which are appalling most of the community and not a reflection of the people I know in Gilmore. It's a really divisive way of doing politics and once again not something that survives the pub test in the places I go.”
Nick McClaren:
“And Gilmore does have a proportionally high indigenous population. How do you think that will go down with voters in the electorate?”
Kate Dezarnaulds:
“Look, I think it's mean. I think it's cruel. I think it's unnecessary. I think it's distracting. I think it's designed to cause division. It's the sort of politics that people really hate seeing. It's certainly not helping with the cost of living crisis. It's not an indicator of respect for the First Nations people of this country, and it was really distressing to hear somebody who is a career politician who really understands language and what it means say things like that just to get a cheer in a room like that on Monday night.”
Fiona Phillips (current Gilmore MP) – Statement to The Kiama Bugle:
“On 14 July 1995, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag were proclaimed as flags of Australia under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazettes S259 and S258),” says Mrs Phillips.
“As an Australian, I am always proud to display all three flags, including in my electorate office and official functions as the Federal Member for Gilmore. We are lucky to live in the most beautiful place with a diversity of people, rich in history and culture with our First Nations people – that is something I am immensely thankful for.”
Andrew Constance – Media Release in Response:
“The Climate 200 Teals candidate for Gilmore has made public statements that are absolutely false. On social media and in a media interview, the Teal candidate stated that at a Sky News debate I ‘proclaimed I would never stand in front of an Aboriginal flag’ and that I said Australia would or should ‘withdraw from WHO’.
I had never said any such things, as anyone could easily ascertain by watching the debate, and since the Teal candidate was standing right next to me and knows these facts – the only possible explanation is that the candidate chose to mislead the public for her own political ends.
These falsehoods have caused me a great deal of hurt, as a strong advocate for our Indigenous community and someone who has worked closely with the community for many years. I respect the Aboriginal flag and always have.
I am further insulted that she called members of our community an ‘audience of climate deniers’.
Even when the ABC broadcast a correction and an apology after reporting her claims, it did not stop the Teal candidate from continuing to publish her falsehoods.
Climate 200 and the Teals are fond of lecturing everyone else on integrity and claim to do politics better. But that is clearly just empty words that they do not apply to themselves.
This is the hypocrisy of the Climate 200 Teal movement to call on others to ‘do better’ while they themselves drag politics into the gutter by throwing wild accusations at their opponents.
If this Teal candidate had any integrity, she would have already apologised to me and to the community.
If Climate 200 had any integrity they would have already publicly called out their candidate and her behaviour, and distanced themselves from her campaign.
Their ongoing silence is hypocrisy writ large, demonstrating that Climate 200 and Teals are prepared to say anything that advances their political cause, meaning that nothing they say can be trusted.”
Unresolved Questions
If Mr Constance feels this does not reflect his views, we’d welcome him clarifying:
- Whether he personally would display the three Australian flags in his office.
- Whether he would stand in front of the three official Australian flags at press conferences should he be elected as the member for Gilmore.
- Whether he remains “Very proud that my leader (Peter Dutton) has indicated that he will only stand in front of the Australian flag.”
To date, Andrew Constance’s clarification has been:
“I respect the Aboriginal flag and always have.”