Campaign to change the Australian flag - should we?

[devilsadvocate]

I've been for a Republic and for updating the flag since the 1960s, but I couldn't in conscience vote for the model offered at the last referendum.
I felt we needed a plan to restrict the power of the ruling party over our rights and monitor them, not one that gave them carte blanche.
I figured in they appointed a head of state they'd get the "Yes" man they wanted.

The figures here are evenly divided: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/poll ... -1,00.html

This is the exact reason we should not change our current affiliation with the the poms.
Imagine a Bush equivalent given total power......no thanks.

But, I digress.

[tigerland09]

If it aint broke dont fix it.

[Brucetiki]

I would get rid of the union jack and leave it blank

This is also the design I'd like for our flag. Perhaps change it to green and gold (as long as it's done tastefully). We don't need to drastically change it but it's time the Union Jack went.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Ray Martin is obviously missing the spotlight... It's quite sad what the once great journalist has become...

Britain is our heritage. If we had a reason to sever all ties with them like the yanks did then I wouldn't be opposed. I can't see such a reason.

There's no real benefit to be realised by making a change to our flag, anthem or constitution.

It's people with a real inferiority complex who complain about the flag.

[dedja]

1975 not reason enough?

[SABRE]

1975 not reason enough?

You're living dangerously with this one 'dedj' !

But you're right & .......I'VE MAINTAINED MY RAGE !
I'm just getting too old to remember why.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

1975 not reason enough?

Ahh yes, that great failure Whitlam... It's always puzzled me why he seems to be held in such high regard...

[dedja]

1975 not reason enough?

Ahh yes, that great failure Whitlam... It's always puzzled me why he seems to be held in such high regard...

LOL, so you're comfortable that a democratically elected Australian government (regardless of their perceived or real performance) was dealt with by a drunk and unelected representative of a foreign government?

Yep, that system works well!

[Cambridge Clarrie]

1975 not reason enough?

Ahh yes, that great failure Whitlam... It's always puzzled me why he seems to be held in such high regard...

LOL, so you're comfortable that a democratically elected Australian government (regardless of their perceived or real performance) was dealt with by a drunk and unelected representative of a foreign government?

Yep, that system works well!

Is this Michael Moore online???

Who installed Kerr in that position?

[dedja]

So you're happy with the role of the Governor General then?

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Quite. I see it as a safety net against idiocy...

Back on topic. Over the past few years there seems to be a real increase in pride in our flag amongst Australians. It seems to have coincided with the incident at Cronulla in 2005 (which, let me make it clear, was not good). The Cheap as Chips type shops have really fuelled it by offering such inexpensive items. I wonder how many people would be flying a flag off their car window if it was made in Australia and they had to pay $20.00 for it???

Don't get me wrong though... still great to see people showing that they're proud to be Australian...

[southee]

Ray Martin is obviously missing the spotlight... It's quite sad what the once great journalist has become...

Britain is our heritage. If we had a reason to sever all ties with them like the yanks did then I wouldn't be opposed. I can't see such a reason.

There's no real benefit to be realised by making a change to our flag, anthem or constitution.

It's people with a real inferiority complex who complain about the flag.

Would be interesting to find out if Ray was getting paid by the Australian Republican Movement.....

I would never call Ray "great" Clarrie IMO

Ray's true colour's showing???

[dedja]

1975 not reason enough?

You're living dangerously with this one 'dedj' !

But you're right & .......I'VE MAINTAINED MY RAGE !
I'm just getting too old to remember why.

Not really ... Whitlam is just the red herring.

I'm no constitutional expert but what's stopping the GG doing the same now ... sacking a democratically elected government?

I'm not sure about maintaining the rage either but I do remember Norman Gunston on the steps.

[Cambridge Clarrie]

I'm not sure about maintaining the rage either but I do remember Norman Gunston on the steps.

One of the funniest pieces of television you'll ever see!

[zipzap]

Quite. I see it as a safety net against idiocy...

Back on topic. Over the past few years there seems to be a real increase in pride in our flag amongst Australians. It seems to have coincided with the incident at Cronulla in 2005 (which, let me make it clear, was not good). The Cheap as Chips type shops have really fuelled it by offering such inexpensive items. I wonder how many people would be flying a flag off their car window if it was made in Australia and they had to pay $20.00 for it???

Don't get me wrong though... still great to see people showing that they're proud to be Australian...

Ahh you beat me to it CC. I was just thinking about the grogged up Straya Day boneheads who drape themselves in Chinese made Aussie flags who seem more than happy with it. There's a fine line between genuine pride and a mob mentality fuelled by goonish nationalism.

As a kid growing up in the 70s and 80s there were still vestiges of our British heritage (which like it or loathe it, you can't deny) that permeated aspects of our language, media, food (yuck!) and general attitude. Now, I'm not about to let off firecrackers at the Ponderosa but many of these things I do miss and are infinitely preferable to the bend-over-and-take-it way we look to the US for cues.

[Punk Rooster]

This is surely a non issue if ever there was one.
Unless there is strong community support or demand for a change in the flag why would anyone push this? Is there currently a strong push for change, no way. If there was, then by all means look at alternative designs.

Correct.

We don't have a flag in waiting- some are merely wanting change for the sake of change.
Had Australia had it's own flag, then changed by the British, then sure change it back.
The flag we have is the only one we've ever had, so why change it?

[lesthemechanic]

Canada is a country of the commonwealth and they don't have a union jack in their flag. Other commonwealth nations don't have the union jack in their flags eg South Africa.

I stand to be corrected, but I believe both those countries are also republics, so they are in a slighly different political situation to ours.

[Punk Rooster]

It seems to have coincided with the incident at Cronulla in 2005 (which, let me make it clear, was not good).

which part CC?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Cronulla_riots

If Australians carried on like that in Lebanon, do you think it would be accepted?
Not on your life...

[fish]

Are there any other cases where a country has changed its long running national flag voluntarily and not at the time of a political or constitutional change?

[Leaping Lindner]