2GB Radio Interview with Ben Fordham: Our flag is a symbol of national pride, unity, and identity. Burning it is not protest — it’s desecration. Like Trump, I believe there must be serious consequences.
Transcript
Ben Fordham: The US president has just signed an executive order which makes it a criminal offence. Donald Trump has told reporters if you burn our flag, you get one year in gaol, no early exits, no nothing. And there’s a similar push happening here in Australia. Pauline Hanson wants to criminalise the burning of the flag. The One Nation leader has launched a petition calling for laws to be introduced to protect our national flag. Malcolm Roberts, the One Nation Senator from Queensland, is on the line right now. Malcolm, good morning to you.
Senator Roberts: Good morning, Ben. It’s nice to hear you being so cheery.
Ben Fordham: Yeah, well, there’s no other way to do it, mate, at this time of the morning. So let me kick off first of all, with Donald Trump. I think this will be a popular move. I mean, regardless of what you think of any politician, people are very protective when it comes to their country and their flag.
Senator Roberts: Well, it’s wonderful to see the protests coming on the weekend, you know, because people in Australia can feel or sense something slipping away, mate. There’s a national identity that’s deteriorating and that’s linked to personal ID – personal identity – and Australia has an identity crisis and similar in America, and the globalists have pushed this agenda that’s destroying national boundaries, national sense of pride and Pauline can see that and I can see that, and what we need to do is restore what it means to be Australian.
Ben Fordham: So what are you suggesting should happen to someone who desecrates the Australian flag?
Senator Roberts: Well, that’s a matter for the parliament. I haven’t done too much thinking of that. But there be serious punishment. It should be a breach of the law and punishable, you know, and Donald Trump’s gone for a year in gaol. Why can’t we do that?
Ben Fordham: 30,000 people have signed the petitions so far, and we’ve seen some of these incidents recently and in the past when you have a protest and then someone thinks – I know what I’ll do, I’ll pull out the Australian flag and then start lighting it on fire, and always Australians are very defensive when it comes to that, so that would outlaw such a practise.
Senator Roberts: Well, you know, I’m delighted to see Australians taking back our country. I understand and I can empathise very much with people’s frustration and annoyance and anger. The government surrenders. It won’t stand up for Australia, it won’t stand up for Australians, it won’t stand up for a flag. Australians witnessing every protest on Palestine and other protests, with hundreds of people carrying foreign flags and taking homes from us Aussies. They see the Hamas flag, which is banned – it’s a terrorist flag – they can see that being hauled along and nothing done. And yet people have frowned upon if they carry an Aussie flag.
It’s crazy. You know, a nation is not just a shoreline – we’re an island nation – but it’s not just the dirt that we’ve got here, it’s the sense of culture, national spirit – it’s the glue. You know, you can’t touch it, but you can feel it and you can’t see it, but you can feel it. It’s the glue that gives people cohesion and the culture is very, very important and people know that one of our – well it’s the most important thing in any organisation, whether it’s a football club, Ben, or sporting club or nation or a corporation or a business, the culture is what’s so important. It’s vital for productivity, security, on safety and people can sense it slipping away and the government’s a part of that – the cause of that. So people are standing up and they want action.
Ben Fordham: You mentioned the August 31 protests. They’ll be happening this Sunday and there’ll be lots of Aussie flags out for that. And very important Malcolm Roberts, that everyone keeps a cool head this weekend when they’re at those demonstrations.
Senator Roberts: Absolutely, Ben. And what happens at some of these protests in the major capital cities is that people come along – plants from the left wing – and they come along and pretend to be Nazis and stir things up and then the protesters are given the blame. It’s actually very, very important that people be cool, be calm and just step for Australia and our flag and our nation. That’s all we need to do and just behave peacefully.
Ben Fordham: We appreciate your time. Thanks for jumping on the line.
Senator Roberts: You’re welcome, Ben. Keep going.
Ben Fordham: Good on you. Malcolm Roberts, the Senator for Queensland with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Thousands of proud Australians have now signed the petition to ban burning of our flag. Burning our flag isn’t free speech—it’s anti-Australian. Respect our flag. Respect our country.
Want to add your name? https://www.onenation.org.au/petition-senate
