DESPITE huge opposition, Albury councillors are being urged to approve the installation of poles on Monument Hill for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
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A recommendation for Monday's council meeting states the erection of the poles should occur but the Albury RSL sub-branch can decide which flags will be flown on significant occasions such as Anzac Day.
The call comes in spite of 91 per cent of feedback to the council opposing the poles.
The council's service leader business and lifestyle Ambrose Glass, who has made the recommendation, notes with the bulk of responses to the city against the poles it "may be seen as divisive or failing to listen to the community should it proceed with the project".
"Conversely there is a risk that if the project is not supported then AlburyCity may be viewed by the media, the broader community and people from outside the region as not meeting its intent and commitment to the adopted Civic Flag Display Protocol and not being aligned to modern values," Mr Glass wrote for the agenda for Monday night's meeting.
"The reputational risk may impact future economic and social growth objectives."
Albury RSL president and councillor Graham Docksey is not impressed with the recommendation given the number of objectors.
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"I'm just gobsmacked to think that 250 people have taken the time and effort to put something in for that to be dismissed and that recomendation put forward," Mr Docksey said.
Mr Docksey plans to remain in the chamber on Monday night for the item, rather than declaring a conflict of interest and leaving.
"I should be in there to represent the community that put in 250 submissions," he said.
Mr Docksey described the move to allow the sub-branch to decide which flags flew on special occasions as a "very poor way of trying to placate the RSL".
Asked if the poles were installed whether he would then have the Indigenous flags removed for milestone days, Mr Docksey said "that decision is too far away".
His son Anthony Docksey objected, stating "war memorials are not places for political point scoring by the Greens or anyone else".
He claimed erecting the poles would not result in inclusion but "sadly division".
Mr Docksey said he had not "encouraged" objections from the RSL and veterans' community but had made them aware of the debate over the flag poles.
