Changing the Flag

[Snakeman97404]

Hi
Just what to know what other people opinion is on changing our Flag.
If its not broken why fix it.
cheers!

 

[jaydog]

my only answer to that is to sever the last links to england. but to truely do that we would have to become a republic.

 

[Jewly]

I think they should leave it the way it is. I love our flag and having the Union Jack on it is fine in my opinion as we were colonised by the British and it's part of our history. Afterall, we are still ruled by the Queen of England.

 

[shellfisch]

I can't imagine another flag design ever instilling the same patriotic feeling I get when I look at the one we already have.
I kind of see where some people are coming from in wanting to change it, but I just don't get why.
If it's so that people will feel more loyalty etc to their country.....well, for me it would have the opposite effect. I would feel no connection at all.....

 

[SNAKEBOY33]

My Grandfather carried that flag into battle on the Kokoda track and into Borneo, if it wasn't for those men you maybe flying a white flag with a red circle.

 

[Elapidae1]

Leave it as is I reckon, our flag is something that just shouldn't be changed. It represents everything our country stands for, everything our soldiers have struggled for and all the trials and tribulations that our fledgling country has faced. I think we live in the best country on earth and I haven't even been any where else. And our flag makes me proud To be Australian

 

[Gekambi]

I agree. Even IF we do become a republic then keep the flag as it is. If you change the national flag then there are a heap of others that need to change as well. Plus its our symbol among other nations, no-one would know who we were. Lol.

 

[Kurto]

Get rid of the Union Jack!! What real relevance does it have today? Our soldiers past and present fought/fight for freedom! Not for England! All the union jack symbolizes is that England tried to rule the world 200 years ago. Do we see India or Canada flying the U.J.? No!

 

[waruikazi]

My Grandfather carried that flag into battle on the Kokoda track and into Borneo, if it wasn't for those men you maybe flying a white flag with a red circle.

If the Dutch were a little more persistant we might have been flying a red white and blue stripey flag lol.

I think our country is divided enough atm, if we changed our flag there would be divisions between people who want it left the way it is, those who don't like the new design but want it changed and those who like the new design. And what would we go for? An indigenous theme? A green and gold theme? Qantus lol? I don't really like our flags design but i don't think we should change it unless we become a republic which i don't think will happen for a while yet.

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

A new flag would be good.
Get rid of the union jack, and recognise the aboriginals on it somehow.
This sort of change would be good.

 

[waruikazi]

Why does the flag have to be soley for those who have fought in warsin Australia's name? Some of our war history is disgusting and i've been ashamed for our flag to be dragged though that. The flag is about all Australians not just soldiers.

Get rid of the Union Jack!! What real relevance does it have today? Our soldiers past and present fought/fight for freedom! Not for England! All the union jack symbolizes is that England tried to rule the world 200 years ago. Do we see India or Canada flying the U.J.? No!

 

[Kurto]

Why does the flag have to be soley for those who have fought in warsin Australia's name? Some of our war history is disgusting and i've been ashamed for our flag to be dragged though that. The flag is about all Australians not just soldiers.

I was merely reflecting on comments made in a previous post.

 

[waruikazi]

We're not nearly mature enough as a nation or accepting of our nations history to go down that route yet. I would appreciate the sentiment behind it but i don't the majority of Australians would.

A new flag would be good.
Get rid of the union jack, and recognise the aboriginals on it somehow.
This sort of change would be good.

 

[trickedoutz31]

My Grandfather carried that flag into battle on the Kokoda track and into Borneo, if it wasn't for those men you maybe flying a white flag with a red circle.

actully no he didnt because this flag wasnt created back then your grandfarther would have carried the australian flag for his redgiment with honner,

the australian flag was a competition flyer example wich got faimus and stuck, every time we wave this flag on anzac day we might as well wave the french flag or the antartica flag or a flag from stargate as its actully not even the australian flag.

back in the 50's they never waved it anyway they waved the union jack.

however i am very fond of this flag as up until now i knew it as my/our flag all my life and would hate to see it changed too

BUT.... we do need a flag that simbolises australia for who we are and not what competition we were in back in 1953

i would be happy to keep the southern cross on the flag and swap the union jack for the aboriginal flag in its top left position, and i would also like to see schools teach the aboriginal language as a second subject. you go anywhere else in the world and people know their native languages and also english but when you come to australia we only know english and thats it...... however the aboriginals know their native language pluss english!

thats my rant

 

[Snowman]

My Grandfather carried that flag into battle on the Kokoda track and into Borneo, if it wasn't for those men you maybe flying a white flag with a red circle.

I'm not sure if you watched the 60 minutes episode last night. But Peter Fitzsimons (authour of Kokoda and Tubruk) mentioned that they never took the flag we have to day into battle and the only flag they had on hand was the union jack. The Aussie flag is the result of a competion held by the Havelock Tobacco Company in 1901. After reading both of Peters books, you'd never find an Australian with more empathy for the Aussie soldiers. So if P.F is for changing the Aussie flags and doesn't find it disrespectful to our fallen soldiers you have to wonder. Personally I agree with Peter and think it's time to boot the Union Jack. Anyone who has read what the English did to our soldiers in terms of using them as the front line (not to mention them turning their backs on us in PNG) would appreciate that it has no place on our flag. JMO which I'm entitled too...
Full transcript for 60 minutes http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1043624

 

[potato matter]

YES! New flag. Sever the ties with England, they don't really do any good for australia anyways.

 

[waruikazi]

Whatever our flag should be i don't think it should be based on any kind of violence historical or otherwise. I take issue with the idea that being part of a war should define our collective identity as Australians. We are not a violent nation.

I'm not sure if you watched the 60 minutes episode last night. But Peter Fitzsimons (authour of Kokoda and Tubruk) mentioned that they never took the flag we have to day into battle and the only flag they had on hand was the union jack. The Aussie flag is the result of a competion held by the Havelock Tobacco Company in 1901. After reading both of Peters books, you'd never find an Australian with more empathy for the Aussie soldiers. So if P.F is for changing the Aussie flags and doesn't find it disrespectful to our fallen soldiers you have to wonder. Personally I agree with Peter and think it's time to boot the Union Jack. Anyone who has read what the English did to our soldiers in terms of using them as the front line (not to mention them turning their backs on us in PNG) would appreciate that it has no place on our flag. JMO which I'm entitled too...
Full transcript for 60 minutes The Great Flag Debate

 

[Elapidae1]

Regardless of where our flag has been and when ,where and what wars were fought under it. The flag represents who we are as a nation now and the Union Jack symbolizes where we came from. Every year that's gone by is like a building block to who we are now. I don't look at our flag, see the union jack and automatically think of Great Britain I just see the Australian flag.
Whether you like it or not Waruikuzi the wars we have fought do play a huge roll in defining who we are now, but they are not our nations sole defining events. We are not a violent nation but unfortunately on occassion violence has been necessary to keep it that way.
Personally I think swapping the Union Jack for the Aboriginal flag would be a huge mistake and only make the divide greater

 

[waruikazi]

I agree with you, just look at the posts in this thread for a start. If you look at values education in Australia all of the values that we are meant to teach were born out of war. The poster that we are required to display in schools outlining aussie values is of a scene from WWI.

I'm not saying it isn't an important part of our history but i am saying that it shouldn't define us.

Regardless of where our flag has been and when ,where and what wars were fought under it. The flag represents who we are as a nation now and the Union Jack symbolizes where we came from. Every year that's gone by is like a building block to who we are now. I don't look at our flag, see the union jack and automatically think of Great Britain I just see the Australian flag.
Whether you like it or not Waruikuzi the wars we have fought do play a huge roll in defining who we are now, but they are not our nations sole defining events. We are not a violent nation but unfortunately on occassion violence has been necessary to keep it that way.
Personally I think swapping the Union Jack for the Aboriginal flag would be a huge mistake and only make the divide greater

 

[SNAKEBOY33]

regardless of where our flag has been and when ,where and what wars were fought under it. The flag represents who we are as a nation now and the union jack symbolizes where we came from. Every year that's gone by is like a building block to who we are now. I don't look at our flag, see the union jack and automatically think of great britain i just see the australian flag.
Whether you like it or not waruikuzi the wars we have fought do play a huge roll in defining who we are now, but they are not our nations sole defining events. We are not a violent nation but unfortunately on occassion violence has been necessary to keep it that way.
Personally i think swapping the union jack for the aboriginal flag would be a huge mistake and only make the divide greater

my thoughts exactly.