Thursday 25th of April 2024
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no need for beer or thongs as symbols...

 

new flag
Timing right for a new flag and there's lots we should include

Yes, Elizabeth Farrelly, "Time's right for a flag we can be proud of" (September 24),  but that is not a flag taken from Australia's Indigenous people, as your favoured one is.  

Surely in the 21st century we can arrive at something that will include the First Australians but also look to the Australia of now.

Red earth, yes; Uluru, yes (I understand that it is the absolute centre of the world for Indigenous people). However, we are fortunate to be surrounded on all sides by the most amazing blue sky and water.  

And what happened to the wonderful Southern Cross, which tells the world where we are in this firmament – not in the northern hemisphere but absolutely in the southern hemisphere?  After all, this land mass for centuries was known as "The Great Southern Land".  

Surely our artists can do something with all that material:  ancient mythology (Uluru), ever-present sky and water and our place on this planet – in the southern hemisphere.

Gloria Healey Condell Park


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-letters/another-leader-another-slogan-20150924-gjtwe3.html#ixzz3mh8uYs3R
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a sketch for a new flag

new flag

time for a republic...

 

Bill Shorten finished on a question which asked him to reflect on the dismissal of the Whitlam government, 40 years on. (The anniversary is tomorrow.) He said it was wrong and caused a “convulsion” and ended with a plea for Australia to become a republic, now that both the PM and the opposition leader were committed republicans.

"It is time for Australia to set its own path in the world. It is time when we have those visits from other heads of state, that the slightly bemused look when foreign visitors come here and when we toast the head of their state and they have to get up and toast the Queen. It is time for Australia to be independent, truly, not just in terms of foreign policy but in terms of our constitutional arrangements."

read at 2:03 am http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/nov/10/peter-dutton-warns-of-hardline-response-against-high-risk-detainees-politics-live#block-56414f89e4b01f2de9df9560

 

The time )2:03 am) of the question/debate does not make sense but that's how it is at the Guardian... Long live the republic... Woof !

 

vamos the union jack...

 

What would happen if Australia followed New Zealand’s example and allowed a fully democratic process to choose a national flag? With support from the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University, historian and regular IA contributor, Dr Benjamin T. Jones has designed the Alternative Australian Flag Survey.

AT THE DAWN of the twentieth century, dozens of British colonies and dominions proudly waved flags with the iconic Union Jack in the top corner.

As the empire dissolved in the wake of World War II, a process of decolonisation took place and new flags were raised — flags that symbolised independence.  

With New Zealand set to vote on a new flag in March 2016, Australia stands as one of the only nations to still cling to its colonial past. Like the republic, the issue of a new Australian flag will not go away until it is finally addressed. A flag is just a piece of cloth but it is infused with meaning. Australia deserves a flag that represents the vibrant, independent nation we are — not the loyal dominion we were.

The Alternative Australian Flag Survey explores attitudes and opinions concerning this vital national symbol. Participants are invited to select their favourite from six popular designs. They are asked what elements they want in a new flag. Should there be an Indigenous symbol? Should it be green and gold? Is the Southern Cross a "must have"? How would Australians like to be represented?

Why We Need A New Flag 

The most widely-held falsehood about Australian history is that independence was gained at Federation. Nothing could be further from the truth. On 1 January 1901, six British colonies combined to form a single commonwealth, a dominion of the empire. The official flag was the flag of Great Britain. The official anthem was 'God Save the Queen'. There was no such thing as Australian foreign policy, no Australian navy, no Australian citizenship, even.

https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/choosing-a-new-australian-flag,8560

 

See flags above...

 

yobo colours

 

Could we be tossing out the Union Jack for the Southern Horizon as our new Australian flag after a survey of 8000 people conducted by Western Sydney University's Dr. Benjamin T Jones?

THE RESULTS of my Alternative Australian Flag Poll are in. We ended up with over 8000 participants with widespread media coverage so I'm very pleased with the response. 

The most popular design, the Southern Horizon, was designed by a media-shy recluse but has been embraced by a growing band of passionate supporters. Now research from the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University suggests Southern Horizon is the design most likely to successfully challenge the current flag.

Between 16 December and 25 January, over 8000 people took part in the Alternative Australian Flag Survey. The purpose was to gather attitudes and opinions about this national symbol and to understand how Australians want to be represented.

https://independentaustralia.net/australia/australia-display/could-this-be-the-new-australian-flag,8614

 

Gus: I believe the flag at top was not presented as a choice to this "survey"... Yellow, green and blue are crap colours together.  The one at top pays more recognition to the original inhabitants of this country rather than to the green and yellow sporting yobos.

We need to grow up  a tad away from the beer and bad sausages barbecues.