On 27 March, 2006, the Hon. Bronwyn Bishop introduced into the House of Representatives a private members bill, the Protection of the Australian National Flag (Desecration of the Flag) Bill, 2006. The bill would make an offence punishable by a six-month jail term or a fine of up to $11,000 "to wilfully destroy or otherwise mutilate the flag in circumstances where a reasonable person would infer that the destruction or mutilation is intended publicly to express contempt or disrespect of the flag or the Australian nation".
I suspect that most Australians would support this. The opposition is more about tactics, and whether this will produce martyrs. I don’t think many Australians will have any sympathy with someone who desecrates the flag and is subsequently punished