Parramatta Advertiser, 6 October 2009

By Di Bartok

ACCEPTING a Chinese cultural exhibition to Parramatta is one thing, but flying the national flag of the Communist country on the town hall was rejected by councillors at a fiery meeting on Monday night.

Labor councillor Julia Finn led the debate against the lord mayoral minute to fly the Chinese national flag on the town hall during a planned visit of Chinese officials and business people.

The visit, with date to be planned, will feature a cultural exhibition in the town hall and is an exchange of the visit lord mayor Tony Issa and council officials made to China earlier this year.

Cr Finn said Parramatta should not fly the flag of a “country which has executed more people than any other country in the world”.

She said she supported the “celebration of Chinese culture” but “it is another thing to fly the flag of a country whose policies we oppose”.

Cr Chiang Lim, while sympathising with Cr Finn’s view, said the Chinese were the biggest ethnic group in the city of Parramatta.

“This exhibition is about a cultural exchange rather endorsing the Chinese government,” Cr Lim said.

A fuming Cr Issa left his lord mayor’s chair to enter the debate.

“This is something positive for our city. I linked us (China and Parramatta) together during my visit, which I paid for myself, bringing business and opportunities to Parramatta,” Cr Issa said. “When we were over there, Parramatta was on TV, in the newspapers. I don’t understand the problem. I am surprised by your (Cr Finn’s) performance tonight.”

Cr Andrew Wilson agreed flying the Chinese flag would be an insult to those who had suffered at the hands of the Communist regime. A recission motion was lodged at the end of the meeting so the matter will come before the next council meeting.