West Wimmera Shire Council hosted an unscheduled special meeting about the flying of the rainbow flag, following its council meeting on April 20, where a motion to fly the flag at council chambers on IDAHOBIT Day was defeated.

At the council meeting, it was decided by unanimous vote that the council establish a community flagpole in Edenhope, Kaniva, Apsley and Goroke, in which the community can request the flying of certain flags throughout the year.

A second resolution was passed ruling that should the council be unable to locate flagpoles at Edenhope and Kaniva before May 17, the rainbow pride flag would be flown at the Edenhope Council Chambers and at the Windmill in Kaniva.

It was not revealed where the exact location of the community flagpoles would be, a cause of concern for one councillor who attempted to move put forward another motion regarding the location.

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At the meeting, Councillor Trevor Domaschenz asked for clarification on the exact site of the flags.

He said he wanted Edenhope's rainbow flag to fly at the recently built Edenhope and District Community Centre.

"Just a point of clarification. I want to nominate the site in Edenhope where we fly these community flags," Cr Domaschenz said.

"We have a motion in front of us saying we are going to fly the flags in five communities but nothing saying where. I don't want to be a part of something that flies the flags in an obscure location."

The decision came after the council received criticism following comments made by its Mayor Bruce Meyer following its April 20 meeting.

In an interview with ABC Wimmera Breakfast Radio, the mayor made comments deemed offensive by members of the LGBTIQ community.

"It is not the council's role to be making moral judgments on various issues," he said in the interview.

"You have got to equate this, there are many people who want the act changed so that 12-year-old girls can marry. There are some people who do not want any age of consent, which would virtually legalise paedophilia.

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"This is not the concern of local government."

The head of a Horsham-based LGBTIQ group said the comments were disappointing and has called on community leaders to demand the mayor issue a formal public apology.

Wimmera Pride Project committee member Patrick Quane said he has approached Lowan member Emma Kealy and Mallee member Anne Webster to demand the mayor make an apology.

"I am writing again in regards to the comments Bruce Meyer made on ABC radio in which he insinuated LGBTIQ+ advocates want to legalise child marriage and legalise paedophilia," he said.

"Despite hearing such awful thing resolve has been galvanised by the outpouring of support and the way the LGBTIQ+ and West Wimmera communities are coming together in response.

"However, I cannot help but still feel indignant and upset about something.

"I have not heard either my federal representative in parliament speak on this issue despite public calls from myself and The Wimmera Pride Project to do so."

In response, Ms Kealy said she did not share Cr Meyer's opinion on the flying of the rainbow pride flag.

"The views expressed by the West Wimmera Shire Mayor are not the views that I hold or support," she said.

"Everyone in our community deserves respect, no matter their sexuality, gender, race, religion, occupation, or age.

"Everyone is welcome in our community and should be made to feel welcome.

"We should celebrate that each person brings something special to the Wimmera, because every person is an important thread in the fabric of our region."

The Wimmera Mail-Times contacted Ms Webster for comment, however, a spokesperson said she did not feel it "appropriate to comment on an issue between Wimmera Pride and West Wimmera Shire Council."

In the public letter, Wimmera Pride Project also offered to cover the costs of buying a new flagpole for the shire, as well as the costs associated with erecting the flagpole.

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