Should we change the flag?
- Thread starter dcrofty
- Start date
'Ross
Eats Squid
Yep, its shit lets be honest. The only reason people like it is because its Australian
people would pretend to like it regardless. If we looked at it in an impartial manner I bet most people would think it sucks.
Union Jack- Who cares for it anyway?
Southern Cross- Lots of people hate it because all the bogans and deros seem to love it so much.
Then you have the issue of how similar it is to New Zealand and a few other flags, makes us look like some lame colony.
What changes should we make? Well personally I'd like to see the Aboriginals get a mention in there, it seems every public speech I hear people thank the 'traditional owners of our land' before speaking....why not do something worthwhile and chuck em on the flag? Also wouldn't mind seeing a silhouette of a kangaroo.
people would pretend to like it regardless. If we looked at it in an impartial manner I bet most people would think it sucks.
Union Jack- Who cares for it anyway?
Southern Cross- Lots of people hate it because all the bogans and deros seem to love it so much.
Then you have the issue of how similar it is to New Zealand and a few other flags, makes us look like some lame colony.
What changes should we make? Well personally I'd like to see the Aboriginals get a mention in there, it seems every public speech I hear people thank the 'traditional owners of our land' before speaking....why not do something worthwhile and chuck em on the flag? Also wouldn't mind seeing a silhouette of a kangaroo.
Fisher
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Would hate to be one of the bogans with a southern Cross Tattoo if we changed the flag!
stoff
Likes Dirt
My opinion on this is mixed. Mainly because I worry about how this will be decided and what the end result would be. Probably the most recent change from a colonial to a new flag is South Africa's. It never floated my boat when it was first utilisied, however, over time it has grown on me. I (used to) understand the symbolism and felt that the basis behind it was correct. The general ideas I hear for ours seem to include a lot of green and gold, utilisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, inclusion or otherwise of the Southern Cross, and so on.
Personally I think the Federation Star should be included. I also think the Southern Cross should still get a run. No reason to leave it off because some dickheads around the country make it look bad - better off trying to reform them than the symbol.
Side note: Just was watching the news and saw a story about the potential for flag reform, and noticed how the 'flag as a cape' flags all have a different, much lighter blue to the more official australian flag that K Rudd poses in front of.
Off topic, but should we change the anthem, or at least make the tune a bit more inspiring.
Personally I think the Federation Star should be included. I also think the Southern Cross should still get a run. No reason to leave it off because some dickheads around the country make it look bad - better off trying to reform them than the symbol.
Side note: Just was watching the news and saw a story about the potential for flag reform, and noticed how the 'flag as a cape' flags all have a different, much lighter blue to the more official australian flag that K Rudd poses in front of.
Off topic, but should we change the anthem, or at least make the tune a bit more inspiring.
Gluey_trails
Likes Dirt
I'm not so up to date with the politics behind it but will there be a referendum on the matter?
dcrofty
Eats Squid
I don't believe there is much chance of it at the moment, both Krudd and Abbott are against it.
More likely to come about as part of a referendum on becoming a republic I reckon.
niftydog
Likes Dirt
Which is utterly bizarre when you look at the intended symbolism;
Justice: determination of rights and the lawful assignment of rewards and punishments.wikipedia said:
Prudence: discretion, sensible, sound judgement, so as to avoid embarrassment or distress.
Temperance: avoiding excess, sobriety, habitual moderation.
Fortitude: strength of mind and body to endure adversity.
It also has a place in Aboriginal astronomy - so the links to the original inhabitants of our land have been there all along it would seem.
It is not uniquely Australian either - it's on the Brazilian Coat Of Arms and mentioned in their National Anthem.
Nor would most bogans know much about the Eureka Stockade - I sure don't - and it's significance in terms of the republican debate is questionable. A quick google tells me that the Eureka Flag was designed by a Canadian, and although the exclusion of the Union Jack was supposedly meant to show defiance, it is reported that the Union Jack flew directly underneath the Eureka Flag at the Eureka Stockade.
All I know is that Queen & Country means nothing to me, and in fact the Monarchy is basically an embarrassment. The token visit paid by our Prince last week said it all. The sooner we are free of the ridiculous 'convict colony' stereotype the better off we'll all be.
muskimo
Likes Bikes and Dirt
honestly i dont think we should change it untill we come up with a half decent design, the only ones ive seen are replacing the union jack to the aboriginal flag....piss weak effort i say. i believe the southern cross should stay, its a pride of our country more so than the coat of arms etc (no i dont have one tattooed on me nor on the back window of my car). i dont particularly want to see a green and gold flag (keep that to the national teams).
and most of all i dont think we are ready to have a president. (lots of ego comes with that and bad things tend to happen) lets get a female PM first
TOFF - you posted just before i got a chance to say - its also a symbol of our blue collar run country
and most of all i dont think we are ready to have a president. (lots of ego comes with that and bad things tend to happen) lets get a female PM first
TOFF - you posted just before i got a chance to say - its also a symbol of our blue collar run country
stoff
Likes Dirt
Came across this while searching on the net about the flag. http://www.ausflag.com.au/history.asp While I haven't checked about the authorship of this site, given their constant references to our flag being a "defaced British ensign", which is fairly accurate, maybe we should keep it. Australia - defacing British flags since 1901 - lets keep shoving it up the mother country. Interesting site in some ways.
Gluey_trails - seems the flag is changeable by act of Parliament.
. Interesting site in some ways. Gluey_trails - seems the flag is changeable by act of Parliament.
3viltoast3r
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Actually I fear that would knock them up an extra notch on their elitist pedestal.Would hate to be one of the bogans with a southern Cross Tattoo if we changed the flag!
Rid3R13
Likes Dirt
Bring on the Republic!
I can see where you are both coming from with that flag. The flag was used during the rebellion (which we all know about and Im not going to get into) so it's of significance seeming as were a convict settlement and symbolizes our breaking away from the commonwealth . But the flag(to my knowledge) has been adopted by the labour party as well as several unions as a 'coat of arms' of sorts, and I belief that it'd be inappropriate as it fails to portray Australia as a united front. I hope what I've typed makes sense, I'm not much good at putting my thoughts into words.
dhd
Downhill Direct
Changing it for "the sake of changing it" is dumb in my eyes. I mean we have a lot of seniors in this country that went to war and fought under that flag and it means a lot to them. People have grown up and done all sorts of things great and not so great under the Aussie flag as it is, and it means a lot to them.
Changing it without a decent reason like become a Republic is just treating it like a corporate logo and that, I think cheapens it.
Bogans? So what! At least they have a sense of National pride....is that so bad???? And guess what? They are Australians too.
Changing it without a decent reason like become a Republic is just treating it like a corporate logo and that, I think cheapens it.
Bogans? So what! At least they have a sense of National pride....is that so bad???? And guess what? They are Australians too.
cam-o
Likes Bikes and Dirt
^^ what he said.
A lot of good people have suffered a lot of bad things defending what they believed that flag symolised.
The actual image is pretty much irrelevant these days, it's a symbol that has been associated with our entire history and as such should stay.
Lets sort out healthcare, roads, education etc and then worry about what we wave on Australia day.
A lot of good people have suffered a lot of bad things defending what they believed that flag symolised.
The actual image is pretty much irrelevant these days, it's a symbol that has been associated with our entire history and as such should stay.
Lets sort out healthcare, roads, education etc and then worry about what we wave on Australia day.
John U
MTB Precision
I think the Union Jack being such a major component of the flag doesn't represent what Australia is about. It is multicultural society made of people from all over the place. Although it is part of the commonwealth it is no longer a colony.
Canada and South Africa both changed their flags from something that represented their colonial history, and now IMHO both countries have awesome flags, which I am sure most people in those countries are very proud of. What did veterans in those countries think about changing their flags?
I don't want to diminish the important role the diggers have played in our history and I have never spoken to one myself about how important the current flag is to them. I regularly hear your type of story quoted though.
I wonder what the diggers thought about changing the national anthem from God Save the Queen to Advance Australia Fair? I think the 2 things are similar and would like to hear what they say about that. As much as I don't really think a lot of Advance Australia Fair it is much better than God Save the Queen.
