Mr Chong is no stranger to racial controversy. In 2015 he was criticised by the Mayor for making fun of Asian accents, and in 2017 he criticised National and Labour as "Natori" and "Labori" and he decried the amount of money being spent on te reo Māori.

In recent years the Confederate flag has fallen out of favour, even in some of the southern states where it has been proudly flown for 150 years. Several states have ordered the flag removed from government grounds and emblems, and California has banned it altogether. A number of retailers no longer stock anything bearing the distinctive stars-and-cross design. Even NASCAR, a staple of many southern men's entertainment diet, doesn't allow the flag.

Mr Chong said young people are offended because they "didn't grow up as a kid to be inspired by the flag on the roof of a car".

Asked if he would rethink his stance if an African-American went along to Americarna and told him it was offensive, he said no.

"That's fine. That's how he sees it or she sees it. That's not what I'm flying it for - that's what people need to realise."

Then he went on, unprompted, to defend Hawera's blackface controversy. A Lions club float full of people wearing blackface won second place - and $300 prize money - at the town's A&P parade last week.

"The same with the black faces - they were doing that to try and bring people together. Other people saw it another way. This is why it's blown all out of proportion," said Mr Chong, who being offended was now an "Olympic sport"

"Some people just need to be not so offended and worry about their own lives, rather than the history of everything else and reading what they read on the internet."

He then admitted having a "big" Confederate flag in his collection, which he planned to fly half-mast when one of the stars of the original Hazzard TV show die, "out of respect".

Newshub has contacted Mr Chong for a response.

Newshub.