New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet committed over the weekend to permanently flying the Aboriginal flag on Sydney Harbour Bridge "as soon as possible".
The momentous announcement followed a five-year-long campaign led by Kamilaroi woman Cheree Toka.
Ms Toka launched a petition for the change in 2020, and later raised the $300,000 needed to cover the cost of its installation.
"It's been such a journey,' Ms Toka told NITV News.
"We've received so much backlash from the previous government, [saying] it would be a matter of compromising the structural integrity of the bridge... any excuse that was thrown at us, we have always been prepared to fight back and not take no for an answer."
Ms Toka said the most exciting aspect of the win was the potential for a shifted narrative, with the flag likely to increase the visibility of First Nations people to the broader community and the potential for a rewrite of the post-colonial Australian narrative.
"It's a reminder that Australia has a history well beyond white settlement, basically... It's a reminder of Aboriginal culture, it's a reminder of the true culture of Australia."
The Kamilaroi woman said she hoped it could also prompt discussion around the continuing injustices experienced by Aboriginal people today.
"I think this is really important for us as Indigenous people, achieving reconciliation through recognition, and while I know a flag is symbolic, it does spark conversation around the unjust things that are happening on Country to our people, and it shows that we are moving forward," she told NITV News.
Premier Perrotet said he had been told it could take two years to have the flag pole installed, a timeframe which he dismissed as being excessive and 'ridiculous'.
"I can't see why it would take that long... I'll climb up there and fly it myself if I need to," he said when announcing the decision.
The installation is set to become one component of a new government approach to acknowledging First Nations people in the state, which will also include the remediation of Sydney’s Goat Island and its return to Aboriginal ownership.
"We can't truly be proud of our country unless we are working together to achieve true reconciliation. That's a combination of both symbolic reconciliation and practical reconciliation,' Mr Perrotet said.
For Ms Toka, it's only the first step. The fierce advocate already has her sights set on the next iconic spots to display the flag.
"I'd like to see the flag fly anywhere that the Australian flag does fly, the flag represents the culture of this country and I believe it should fly high and proud... moving forward it doesn't stop here," she said.
Ms Toka said the final step of the campaign is to have the policies around flag protocol changed to ensure that the decision cannot be overturned by future premiers.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge currently has two flag poles, with one flying the Australian flag and, when the Aboriginal flag isn't on display on its allocated days, the other flying the NSW state flag.
It will now gain a third pole which will be installed to display the Aboriginal flag permanently, a move which the Premier suggested has been a top priority for his government "for some time."
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