The Australian flag over Parliament will have a hole for two more days

The Australian flag will fly with a gaping hole over Parliament House for up to two more days before being replaced.

Coalition MPs this week complained about damage to Australia’s giant flag, and a casual observation shows its fabric is badly frayed around the edge.

Spokesman Milton Dick explained on Wednesday that the flag is normally changed every month but wild weather prevented this from being done safely.

The flag was raised an extra week and suffered from the elements, and by the time it was finally cold enough to change it, the equipment collapsed.

The giant Australian flag that flies atop Parliament House is a tattered mess after wild weather prevented it from being changed

Mr Dick briefed Parliament on the situation on Thursday, revealing it would take up to two days for the issue to be resolved.

“I understand and acknowledge the importance of the Australian national flag. I am pleased to report that the process of replacing the flag has been expedited,” he said.

“If weather permits, protocols will be made to replace the flag within the next two days.

‘Moreover, there are always alternative options and contingencies for the future.’

Controversial Senator Lidia Thorpe used the tattered state of the Parliament building flag to strike a swipe at Australia’s history on Wednesday.

Senator Thorpe, a frequent critic of Australia’s system of government, which she sees as a colonial cat hostile to Aboriginal people, referred to the Queens as “Her Majesty’s colonizer” when she took the oath of office last year.

“Isn’t it fitting that the colonial flag has a gaping hole?” she wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

Shadow Immigration Secretary Dan Tehan on Wednesday complained about the condition of the flag and urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to fix it.

“Parliament will meet today under a flag waving over the parliament building with a gaping hole in it,” he said.

“I hope Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be able to fix this… we must be proud of our institutions, we must be proud of our Parliament and we must be proud of our flag.”

Mr Albanese is on a plane to India for a three-day business and security trip with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but Speaker Milton Dick and Senate President Sue Lines vowed to resolve the flag issue.

“The national importance and importance of the Australian flag cannot be overstated,” they said.

“We are aware of the unacceptable condition of the current Australian flag which flies over the Houses of Parliament.”

High winds and thunderstorms meant the flag could not be changed last week as it normally would and suffered from the elements

Their joint statement explained that the flag is normally changed on the first Wednesday of each month by a rotating flag stall.

However, high winds and thunderstorms meant the flag could not be changed as usual last week and suffered in the elements.

“Flag changing is a dangerous and complex undertaking due to the sheer size of the flag and the strong wind conditions at this altitude,” they explained.

“The weather conditions must be favorable to ensure a safe transition. Recent weather conditions have posed an unacceptable risk to staff safety in replacing the current flag.

“When personnel had a chance to safely climb the mast, a mechanical failure occurred in the lifting mechanism.”

The couple said the elevator is undergoing urgent maintenance and the flag will be changed as soon as possible.

Mr. Tehan’s response did not seem to understand the security issues.

“I hope their long list of excuses for the poor state of the current flag will not delay this. Let’s also hope we don’t go through that again,” he said.

The Parliament Building’s massive flagpole is 81 meters long and the flag itself measures 6.4 meters by 12 meters – larger than an inverted double-decker bus.

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk