Council to fly the Rainbow Flag for IDAHOBIT

Published on 24 February 2023

Council will fly the Rainbow Flag each year on May 17 for IDAHOBIT following a unanimous vote by Councillors at the February meeting.

IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia) is celebrated on May 17 each year to mark the anniversary of the World Health Organisation removing homosexuality from the Classification of Diseases.

Mayor Chris Potter said flying the Rainbow Flag demonstrates Council standing with the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Council will proudly fly the Rainbow Flag on IDAHOBIT to demonstrate our allyship with LGBTQIA+ communities, and to take a stand against discrimination.

“We have many community members with really valuable and important views on what the Rainbow Flag represents to them.

“In particular, I’d like to acknowledge and thank Cr Stephen Hart for speaking at the Council meeting on the thousands of people who have spent decades fighting for equality and the progress that has been achieved and also Cr Tosh Finnigan for sharing their experiences as a young person coming out in Colac Otway in 2008 and their reflection that Colac Otway is a much safer and more welcoming community today.

“Council acknowledges we all still have a way to go, and flying the Rainbow Flag is another step toward all people in our community feeling safe and supported to be who they are,” Cr Potter said.

Council currently has three flag poles installed outside the Rae Street customer service centre which fly the Australian Flag, the Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag. Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation  were consulted and supportive of swapping the Torres Strait Islander Flag for the Rainbow Flag on IDAHOBIT in May as a way of expressing support for the LGBTQIA+ community of Colac Otway.

“Council wishes to express its appreciation to the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation for supporting us raising the Rainbow Flag and agreeing that is it appropriate to use the flag pole on which the Torres Strait Islander flag usually flies,” Cr Potter said.

At the meeting, Council endorsed the Statement of Commitment to Gender Equality, which demonstrates Council’s commitment to the community for its support and acknowledge of its responsibilities and requirements of the Gender Equality Act 2020.