Key Point: An Instagram video by Opposition MP Brad Battin wrongly claimed Corrections Victoria bans the Australian flag on officer uniforms while allowing other flags. The Department of Justice and Community Safety told AFP that "no flags of any kind are approved" for uniforms and that the Victoria State Crest is the official insignia. The video went viral, spreading across social platforms and prompting further false attributions to the state premier.
Viral False Claim Debunked: Corrections Victoria Did Not Ban Australian Flag On Officer Uniforms
Screenshot of the false post taken on June 2 with a red X added by AFP
Opposition lawmaker Brad Battin posted a May 22 Instagram video alleging that Corrections Victoria forbids prison officers from wearing the Australian flag on their uniforms while allowing the Aboriginal and LGBTQ flags. The claim is false: the Department of Justice and Community Safety told AFP on May 28 that no flags of any kind are authorised on Corrections Victoria uniforms and that the Victoria State Crest is the only insignia worn.
What Was Claimed
In the clip, Battin points to an Australian flag and says, "This flag is banned from the uniform of Corrections officers." He then gestures toward representations of an Aboriginal and an LGBTQ flag and adds, "These flags are not banned," questioning why the national flag would be considered "divisive." The video has been widely shared and viewed, generating significant online attention.
Official Response
The Department of Justice and Community Safety, which oversees Corrections Victoria, told AFP that "no flags of any kind are approved for use as part of the Corrections Victoria uniform." A department spokesperson added that "our uniform insignia already includes the Victorian State Crest with the Crown, as is appropriate for a state entity," and confirmed that "Corrections Victoria proudly flies the Australian flag outside every prison."
Screenshots from Corrections Victoria's recruitment video, showing prison officers' uniforms
A recruitment video on the department's official YouTube channel shows officers wearing uniforms with the Victoria State Crest on their sleeves, consistent with the departmental statement.
Spread And Context
Battin's clip has been viewed at least 218,000 times on his account, which has more than 377,000 followers. Similar posts circulated in anti-Labor Facebook groups (garnering more than 1,000 shares) and on TikTok. Some social posts wrongly blamed Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan for the alleged policy. Battin did not reply to AFP's request for comment.
This episode follows earlier rounds of flag-related misinformation aimed at Premier Allan: in April, false posts claimed she had displayed LGBTQ, transgender pride and Palestinian flags during a press conference. AFP has previously debunked related claims and classifies this recent example as political misinformation circulating in the run-up to the state election.
Bottom line: Corrections Victoria does not permit flags on its officer uniforms; the Victoria State Crest is the authorised insignia, and the Australian flag is flown outside every prison.
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