Melton City Council is cracking down on diversity of thought by forcing all employees to display an endorsement of LGBTQ ideology in their email signatures, regardless of their personal beliefs and religious faith.

Over 500 council employees were notified on Friday that the council’s signature template would be updated to include an image of the rainbow flag advocating for LGBTQ issues, along with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

The email, sent by Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Tori, instructed employees to “promptly update their email signatures” to ensure “consistency in branding,” warning “no variation to the endorsed standards are to be applied.”

Council employees, however, have described the move as divisive, saying they feel compelled to affirm political, religious, and social issues that do not relate to their job.

“I don’t know what to do,” one council employee told Caldron Pool. “I feel like I’m being forced to do something that is not related to my role. It’s not that I don’t like gay people (it’s sad I need to clarify that), but social issues shouldn’t be forced through work channels that have nothing to do with the job.”

Another employee said: “Hate to say it but it’s time to consider what roles and priorities are being made by the top notches. Governance doesn’t seem to be the top priority.”

Another said: “Those flags mean different things to different people. Flags of three nations, in a time where Australia Day is now called ‘Invasion Day’ can look divisive. And the rainbow flag can look like moral support for identity politics or sexualities prohibited by many religions in this multicultural area.

“Of course, racism is wrong, and no one should be mistreated for being gay, but why don’t they use words instead of flags? They should just have a statement saying they value all people and don’t discriminate. No one would feel upset about that message.”

Residents in the area agree.

“I don’t think it’s professional or respectful for government representatives to be adding a rainbow flag to emails when I ask about hall hire rates or zoning issues,” a local said.

“They should just treat everybody well and then stick to their jobs.”