This issue has seen a major outpouring of condemnation of the Greens Party Leader, from veterans many questioning if it was his own personal opinion alone or the policy of his Party.
Here is the letter from retired Lt Col Greg Shannon to his Ryan electorate MP, Elizabeth Watson-Brown
“Dear Ms Watson-Brown
Firstly, congratulations on your recent election as the Federal member for Ryan. I wish you very success.
However, the real reason that I’m writing to you is about Mr Bandt, and his position in regard to the Australian National Flag.
I am a longstanding constituent of the Ryan electorate since January 1990 when I retired from the Australian Regular Army. During my service I was part of the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR), specifically the 4th Battalion and the 2nd/4th Battalion. I served in (South) Vietnam in 1971.
I am enclosing the following link to an article containing a letter from the National President of the RAR
I support what he has written. I think Mr Bandt’s behaviour is reprehensible. I would hope that you might be similarly disposed but I suspect you may be bound by party loyalty. A word of advice, however, with respect, you should be aware that the seat of Ryan contains the highest number in any federal electorate of currently serving members and retired veterans of the Australian Defence Force of any in Australia. We vote! You should not under-estimate the power of this vote. Mr Simmonds did!
Yours sincerely
Greg Shannon, OAM, LTCOL (Ret’d)
3rd July 2022“
