" What Sayeth The People ??? "

[polly.the.cat]

I Hope to bring interesting and thought provoking Questions here to this post, whereby others can express their thoughts and opinions or views on the Topic for consideration.

Please refrain from any form of profanity and respect the Right of Others to voice their opinion, if you do not feel that you can abide by this request, then please do not contribute to the Open Forum, Thank You.

This Weeks Question:    Is it about Time to Change or Replace Our Australian Flag ?

Editor's Thought:   Whilst Australia is still a Member of The Commonwealth Heads of Government, their are other CHOG Members that DO NOT have the Union Jack displayed on their Country Flag, e.g. Canada, PNG, Cyprus, Zambia, etc, etc. to name a few.

Fifty-three countries are members of the Commonwealth. Our countries span Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific and are diverse – they are amongst the world’s largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries. Thirty-one of our members are classified as small states – countries with a population size of 1.5 million people or less and larger member states that share similar characteristics with them.

All members subscribe to the Commonwealth’s values and principles outlined in The Commonwealth Charter.

- See more at: http://thecommonwealth.org/member-countries#sthash.LrhxvIAy.dpuf

So is it time for us to move with the times, and look at redesigning our National **bleep**, into something more " Aussie " ?

" What Sayeth The People ? "

[polksaladallie]

Could be bookitis.  Remember them?

[opmania]

Don't recall that one 

[iapetus_rocks]

• "A new flag design can better reflect the values and aspirations of 21st Century Australia than the current flag which reflects through its design and its history a long past Australian society, when it was an integral part of the former British Empire. The debate is not about being anti-British. It is, simply, pro-Australian.

• The current Australian flag is a British Blue Ensign with the addition of two emblems. The pattern of adding a badge to the fly of a British Blue Ensign was established in 1865 for use in all colonies within the British Empire. Each colonial governor selected a design for a badge to add to the colonial flag. Colonies were prohibited by the British Admiralty from having a distinctive flag in any other format. When Australia adopted its flag in 1903 the only variation to this colonial flag pattern was the addition of a second badge, the Federal Star. When the flag design competition was held in 1901, the judges knew that the only flag that would be acceptable to the British authorities was one that was a British Blue Ensign with a locally designed badge. Whilst the judges' decision stretched the colonial flag rules by using two badges, there was no option but to use a Union Jack in the top left corner of a blue flag (and a red version for use by shipping).

• Due to the gradual process by which independence was achieved, Australia never had the opportunity to raise a new flag at an Independence Day ceremony, symbolically representing the "coming of age" of the nation. Therefore, like Canada which changed its flag in 1965 (whilst retaining HM Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Canada), Australia needs to reflect its current status as a fully independent country, respectful of its British history, but projecting through its flag an authentic and modern Australian identity."
• http://www.flagsaustralia.com.au/newflag.html

[opmania]

I seem to remember a referendum 

To change the flag  and it didn't change

Might be wrong it was some twenty years ago

[iapetus_rocks]

If you read that site I linked to above, you can see proposed Aussie flag designs going back for years. There's at least one from the 1970's.

[gleee58]

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@opmania wrote:

I seem to remember a referendum 

To change the flag  and it didn't change

Might be wrong it was some twenty years ago

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There has not been a referendum about the flag.  We've only officially had a national flag since 1953.

[gleee58]

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@iapetus_rocks wrote:

If you read that site I linked to above, you can see proposed Aussie flag designs going back for years. There's at least one from the 1970's.

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One reason the debate has never completely been settled is because when the competition was held to select a flag they only accepted for consideration flags with the union jack in the upper corner.

[opmania]

Agreed Union Jack should stay

It signifies a link between 

Australia - UK - USA

Brothers in arms 

All for one and one for all

Like the three musketeers

100 percent guaranteed that these three nations will never

Be in conflict with each other I M O

Have to get ready for a party 

Cheerio boardies and astronauts 🙂

[rabbitearbandicoot]

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@rabbitearbandicoot wrote:

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@lal-au0 wrote:

so you think we should ignore who was here first and fly the british flag?

do you have a faint idea how sick the rest of the world is of british/US arrogance?

having that english stuff in our flag denigrates us to servants of the empire (which btw does not exist anymore, just for clarification for the ones who havent noticed yet).

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Please don't confuse me with someone who gives a rat's about whether the flag is British or not. I agree that the colonising nations were ALL up themselves and that includes British, French, Spanish, Dutch and who ever else thought they would go out and civilise the world. They were all equally arrogant.

But, the fact remains that OUR Queen, Yes, OUR Queen, is Queen Elizabeth of England. Until we are a Democracy Republic it is fitting that our flag stays the same - THEN you can have this debate again - and I promise I won't even comment on the eventual choice of flag - why? Because I don't care. Have a Picaso style kangaroo if you want.

But, it still doesn't make the existing Aboriginals the 'First Australians'.

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Obviously meant 'Republic' - not 'Democracy'. Sorry about that.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

just had a look at the link with flag options - why would you have a kangaroo? what other countries have got an animal on their flag? There may be some, I don't know?