The Speaker of the House is accustomed to sitting in his big green chair in Parliament, imposing order on unruly debate, but when he visited Alexandria Park Community School, model citizens greeted Milton Dick.
Year five and six students, high school captains, teachers, the school principal and her deputy, came together to help the person with the most important job in the House of Representatives unfurl the Australian flag that, until recently, had fluttered above Parliament.
When he’s not calling members of the lower house to order, Mr Dick tours the nation’s schools with his Flag Roadshow.
Weighing approximately 22kg and stretching 12.8 metres by 6.4 metres, it requires a winching crew and lift car operators to hoist it over Parliament House.
Unfolding it on school visits entails a series of specially coordinated manoeuvres with the help of many students – but not just because of its size.
Australian National Flag protocols stipulate the flag must not fall or lie on the ground.
“It’s quite a challenge when the flag is as big as a double decker bus but the Speaker has mastered being able to unfurl it without letting it touch the ground,” said the Federal Member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek, who accompanied Mr Dick to the school.
Mr Dick says talking to students is just as important as ensuring all parliamentarians in the lower house are treated fairly within the rules.
“It is my priority as Speaker to increase the accessibility of civics education. Every student in Australia should have the opportunity to learn about democracy and the parliament.”
Parliament has long had a school civics program but the Flag Roadshow, which includes the history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, is Mr Dick’s innovation.
“It is a piece of parliament that not all students get to experience and this year we celebrate 125 years of proudly flying this flag.”
Before embarking on a trip, he selects one of the carefully stowed flags that fly atop Parliament. They are rotated monthly for maintenance to check for rips and tears.
He tells the students about its history. It’s the only national flag designed by its citizens, following a competition in 1900 which resulted in three winners – all with the same design.
The original design included a six pointed star but in 1908 a seventh point was added in recognition of the Commonwealth Territories.
“This is the design that has been flown throughout our country for the last 125 years, and above Parliament House 24 hours a day,” Mr Dick said.
Students also learn that artist Harold Thomas, a Luritja man from Central Australia and a member of the Stolen Generation, designed the Aboriginal flag in 1971 and that the late Bernard Namok from Thursday Island designed the Torres Strait Islander flag.
“It was an honour to bring the flag that flies above our democracy to share with this wonderful school,” Mr Dick said.
Student Evie agreed. “Honestly, holding that flag is pretty cool.”
School captain Louis added: “It was an honour that people so high up in our government are looking out for us.”
For more information about the Speaker of the House of Representative’s Flag Roadshow please contact Tanya Plibersek’s electorate office: Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au
