NT government orders pride flags removed from Top End hospitals

Rainbow, Transgender and Torres Strait Islander flags have been removed from Top End hospitals to comply with ‘government protocols’.

The Northern Territory government ordered pride flags to be removed from multiple hospitals this week.

On Tuesday, pride flags were removed from the Royal Darwin and Palmerston hospitals.

NT News reported Torres Strait Islander flags were also removed.

The decision is one that Northern Territory Health Minister Steve Edgington said was because the display did not comply with government ‘protocol’.

“The long-standing Northern Territory government protocol is to fly the Australian, Northern Territory and Aboriginal flags,”

“All NT health facilities are required to comply with this protocol,” he said,

“It was recently identified that some flag displays at hospitals were not compliant.”

“Consequently, these displays have been amended.”

Steering division in our community

The removal of the flags was called ‘hateful’ by former deputy chief minister Chansey Paech.

“I think the health minister, Steve Edgington, should be focused on delivering better health outcomes for Territorians,”

“Not steering division in our community,” he said,

“Because we need in the space of health leadership that brings us together, not pulls us apart,”

“Safe spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, as well as our rainbow community, are an important part of ensuring inclusive, comprehensive health care is provided.

“It’s hateful, and these are token gestures aimed at appeasing the right and, do nothing to solve the real issues.

“We absolutely need a health minister that’s going to have leadership that focuses on meaningful change, not cheap political moves.”

“They can absolutely review those protocols and make it possible to have those flags flying where they should be.”

Paech is the first Indigenous and openly gay MP in the Northern Territory.

The removal of the flags in hospitals flies in the face of the NT government’s Gender Equity Action Plan 2022-2025

The plan highlighted that hospital flags are a ‘key achievement’ in supporting gender-diverse people.

“Northern Territory Health Services and sub-contracted service providers upgrading their entrances, flyers, waiting rooms and bathrooms to be more inclusive,” it states

“For example, the pride rainbow flag and other flags supporting gender identity diverse people are displayed in hospital foyers and other public spaces,”

The plan was developed under the previous Labor Government.