In a media release emailed to local media outlets and all community community consultative bodies, Cr Watson fell into a trap of his own making, rekindling memories of his infamous burning of an Aboriginal flag outside the administrative centre in Nowra in 1982.

This ill-considered stunt orchestrated by the then owner of the Shoalhaven & Nowra News has followed Watson around ever since. At the time, it sparked outrage across the country and was condemned in the NSW parliament.

“That scurrilous incident left a stain on the community that I had hoped might quickly disappear,” then Attorney General Frank Walker said.

On Wednesday, Cr Watson looked foolish indeed as Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda responded on the same email chain, reminding the former mayor of that day 37 years ago.

He accused the Greens council members of damaging national pride by discussing the future of divisive national day. If the intent was to capitalise on a populist political theme, it failed miserably.

The outpouring of anger on social media was immediate.

If Cr Watson failed to see lining up in defence of Australia Day being maintained on January 26 would reopen the old wound he created all those years ago, his political judgment is not as sharp as it used to be. 

Just like the rest of Australia, the Shoalhaven has moved on from its old attitudes and is mature enough to have a reasoned conversation about the merits or otherwise of changing the date of Australia Day.

Sure, the old councillor has every right to express an opinion but he should also know that by doing so on this particular issue, he can expect to have his face rubbed in the odium of his 1982 flag-burning stunt.

All he has achieved is bringing the nasty incident to the attention of younger voters who were previously unaware of this stain on his political history. 

The Aboriginal flag has for decades fluttered happily alongside the Australian flag on public buildings across the land despite the septuagenarian’s best effort to prevent it all those years ago.