The contentious debate within Albury Council about flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders flags at the city's war memorial has been revisited in a confidential session of council on Monday night.
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Cr Graham Docksey has been officially censured on the casting vote of mayor Kevin Mack for "failing to appropriately manage" his conflict of interest on the divisive issue.
It follows complaints against Cr Docksey, who is also the Albury RSL sub branch president, made by deputy mayor Amanda Cohn and Cr Murray King.
Draft minutes of the meeting reveal Cr David Thurley and Cr John Stuchbery moved and seconded the motion Cr Docksey be censured with Cr Mack in support.
Cr Darren Cameron called for a division with himself, Cr Alice Glachan and Cr Henk van de Ven opposed to the censure which followed a code of conduct investigation by an external reviewer engaged by council.
Cr Docksey was given an opportunity to address councillors before the vote was taken.
He was contacted for comment by The Border Mail, but is unable to speak publicly on the outcome due to the matter being dealt with behind closed doors.
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Cr Docksey announced in July he would be retiring from council at the next election due to be held in December after being postponed from September due to COVID-19.
The installation of the flags on Monument Hill was agreed to despite 91 per cent of feedback to council on the issue being opposed.
Cr King said most of the opposition came from a "vested interest group" and Cr Cohn said having Indigenous flags at the monument met "contemporary community expectations".
Cr Mack said those speaking in support of the flags would be on "the right side of history".
Cr Thurley said: "They are flags that represent Indigenous people in Australia and for too long Indigenous people in this country have been ignored and left out."
But the angst within council on the flags issue went back six months earlier when Cr Cohn supported funding flag poles to display the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at Monument Hill as part of a city-wide protocol for flags flown at council buildings.
He said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions to wartime activities had been adequately recognised at the upgraded Monument Hill site.
Cr Cohn, Cr Stuchbery and Cr Mack are also not contesting the December local government election.
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