Liberal MP Phillip Thompson calls Adam Bandt a ‘national disgrace’ after he refused to speak in front of the Australian flag

A Liberal MP and veteran has labelled Adam Bandt a virtue-signalling “little weasel” and a “national disgrace” for removing the Australian flag during a press conference – adding it’s insulting to those who served.

Liberal MP Phillip Thompson has labelled Greens leader Adam Bandt a “national disgrace” after he had an Australian flag removed during a press conference.

ABC journalist Isobel Roe said prior to Mr Bandt’s arrival at a press conference on Monday, a Greens staffer put the Australian flag to the side of the room, leaving just the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. 

Ms Roe said she asked Mr Bandt why he refused to stand in front of the flag.

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“He says the country has work to do on racism, and that the symbol is hurtful to many Indigenous Australians,” she wrote on Twitter.

“He also says he usually has it removed before he speaks.”

Mr Thompson – who is a veteran – said Mr Bandt’s move was divisive.

“Adam Bandt is a national disgrace,” he told Sky News Australia’s Peta Credlin.

“What we saw him do is an attempt to try and divide our nation.

“We must always recognise and acknowledge the past but the way we move forward as a nation is to walk together.”

Mr Thompson continued, reflecting on his time in Afghanistan serving under the flag – saying he takes Mr Bandt’s move as a “personal insult”.

“On the defence side, I fought under the Australian flag, I was wounded in Afghanistan under the flag,” he said.

“My mates, who have been killed in action, their coffins have been draped in the Australian flag.

“I take it as a personal insult, I take it as a personal swipe at every Australian soldier and every veteran.”

Mr Thompson called on Mr Bandt to come forward and apologise.

“All I am seeing from this little weasel is this same virtue signalling every time he is in parliament, every time he can get in front of the media,” he said.

“He just needs to pull his head in.”