When Tony Abbott was booted from the nation’s top job, it seemed like his departure would finally bring an end to frankly bonkers sums of money splashed on Australian flags by Federal pollies. After all, his press conference flag-a-paloozas appeared to account for, like, a solid third of our nation’s flag stocks at any one time.
Who’s got the Flag gig?
APH or Abbott Staffer? pic.twitter.com/mZO8sbUrAF— john (@John_Hanna) June 18, 2015
The newest figures on parliamentary entitlements show a cool $763,391 was spent on flags in the six months ending 2015. Labor Senator Matt Thistlethwaite tops the list with nearly $23K of flags doled out under his watch. Twenty. Three. Thousand. Dollars. On. Flags.
As for why pollies seem to spend so much on ’em? Well, politicians are allowed to distribute flags to any public organisation that… well, has a flagpole in need of a flag. Think schools, libraries, town halls, what have you. Community bodies operating overseas are also allowed to snag a few. Obviously, they’re used for ceremonial purposes too, and family members of veterans can request a flag for a funeral service.
Photo: Stefan Postles / Getty.