Australian flag debate

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The existing Australian flag
The existing Australian flag

The Australian flag debate is a low-key but persistent debate over whether the Australian flag should be changed in order to remove the Union Flag from the canton, often in connection with the issue of republicanism in Australia. This debate has come to a head at a number of occasions, such as the period immediately preceding the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, and also during the Prime Ministership of Paul Keating, who had publicly supported a change in the flag.

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[edit] Changing the flag

A poster released by Ausflag prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, displaying some of the many other flags containing the Union Flag in the canton.
A poster released by Ausflag prior to the 2000 Sydney Olympics, displaying some of the many other flags containing the Union Flag in the canton.
The Australian Red Ensign, sometimes used as the national flag up until 1953 according to Ausflag
The Australian Red Ensign, sometimes used as the national flag up until 1953 according to Ausflag

The case for changing the flag has been led by the organisation known as Ausflag. The organisation has not consistently supported one design, and is opposed to the Eureka Flag, but has sponsored a number of design competitions to develop alternative flag candidates.

Supporters of changing the current flag argue:

  • It does not accurately connote Australia's status as an independent nation. The Union flag at the canton suggests Australia is a British colony or dependency. New Zealand, Fiji and Tuvalu are the only other independent nations in the world to feature the Union Flag on their national flags. Other Commonwealth countries whose flags originally depicted the Union Flag, such as Canada, have since changed them, without becoming republics. The flag's colours of red, white and blue are neither Australia's official national colours (green and gold) nor its traditional heraldic colours (blue and gold).
  • It is anachronistic because it exclusively represents Australia's British heritage and does not reflect the change to a multicultural, pluralist society. The symbolism excludes indigenous Australians and is said to be a reminder, for many indigenous Australians, of colonial oppression and dispossession.[2]
  • It stands for colonialism, racism and militarism. [3]
  • It is historically not the prime national symbol. Since Federation, it has typically been flown alongside the British Union Flag. The number of points of the stars have varied since 1901, and the current blue version was not officially adopted as the National Flag until 1954. Before then, confusion reigned between whether the red or blue version was to be preferred, with the red often winning out.
  • It is spurious to claim that Australians have "fought and died under the flag", given that during most of the wars Australians have been involved in, they have usually "fought under" various British flags or the Australian Red Ensign, as well as the current Blue Ensign design. [4] In any case, flags are not literally carried into battle in modern warfare. It remains unclear how changing a flag's design in any way affects the actions or status of Australia's war veterans.
  • Although the flag was designed by Australians and chosen in a public competition, it still had to be approved by the British Admiralty and King Edward VII.[5]

[edit] Union Jack versus Aboriginal flag

Flag of Australia with the Aboriginal flag in the canton
Flag of Australia with the Aboriginal flag in the canton

One suggested design was to replace the Union Flag, in the canton (upper hoist quarter), with the Aboriginal flag. Although this was put forward as a simple evolutionary design to imply the removal of British ties and inclusion of Aboriginal ties, it did not achieve widespread support. However, it did appear in the science fiction movie Event Horizon, where actor Sam Neill represents an Australian crew member and can be seen wearing the flag on the sleeve of his suit.

Arguments against this design included that:

  • In flag design, a symbol in the canton of a flag implies subordination to the group represented by the symbol.
  • Harold Thomas, the designer and copyright holder of the Aboriginal flag, objects to this use, saying, "Our flag is not a secondary thing. It stands on its own, not to be placed as an adjunct to any other thing. It shouldn't be treated that way." [6]
  • Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are considered equally indigenous to Australia, with each represented by their own flag; the inclusion of the Aboriginal flag but omission of the Torres Strait Islander Flag would be exclusive and unfair.
  • The use of black alongside the flag's dark blue is regarded as poor flag design by vexillologists.

[edit] Keeping the flag

Yokohama, Japan (1945) Recently released POWs display their handmade Australian flag.
Yokohama, Japan (1945) Recently released POWs display their handmade Australian flag.
HMAS Hobart (7 August 1942) Action Ensign on main mast, during the Guadalcanal campaign
HMAS Hobart (7 August 1942) Action Ensign on main mast, during the Guadalcanal campaign[7]
The Australian Federation Flag (1831) was used by Sir Henry Parkes and the federation movement and featured the Southern Cross and Union Jack in combination.
The Australian Federation Flag (1831) was used by Sir Henry Parkes and the federation movement and featured the Southern Cross and Union Jack in combination.
The National Colonial Flag for Australia (1823/24) was the first flag designed specifically to represent Australia and the first to feature the Southern Cross device.
The National Colonial Flag for Australia (1823/24) was the first flag designed specifically to represent Australia and the first to feature the Southern Cross device.

In response to the increasing publicity surrounding proposed new flag designs, supporters of the current Australian flag formed the Australian National Flag Association to resist any attempts at changing the flag.

Supporters of the current flag argue:

  • It uniquely and distinctively represents Australia and its status as an independent Commonwealth Realm. The Union Flag stands for Australia's historical origins, its membership of the Commonwealth of Nations as well as the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth Star symbolises the six original states and Australia's territories. It features the Southern Cross which shone above the continent when the first Aboriginal people arrived.[8]
  • It is a popular symbol, widely and enthusiastically used by Australians of all races and creeds. No alternative national flag has attained the same degree of affection accorded to the current flag. Sporting flag designs, such as the Boxing Kangaroo, have failed to supplant it.
  • It is of historical importance as the flag that Australia has grown up under and the flag that has been associated with the nation's achievements on the international scene.[9] It contains elements of earlier flags, such as that of the Anti-Transportation League; it is also similar to the Blue Ensign designs of all the states' flags. Efforts to change it are essentially revisionist and divisive.
  • It is part of the ANZAC tradition [10]. The flag has been used by the Royal Australian Navy since its inception in 1911 and by other branches of the Australian Defence Force one way or another since shortly after Federation.[11][12] Abandoning the existing flag would insult returned servicemen and the memory of the nation's 102,000 war dead.[13]
  • It represents Australia's Christian heritage.[14]
  • It adequately represents Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders: as ethnic minorities within the Australian state.[15]
  • It is not seen by all Aboriginal people as as a symbol of oppression. Neville Bonner, former Liberal Senator and the first aboriginal member of parliament, said that the Australian flag "has served as a beacon of freedom for the refugees of a weary world."[16]
  • It was designed by Australians and democratically chosen through an open public competition.[5]
  • It implies that Britain was the most influential country in Australian history and that the two countries still share strong political, social, lingual and cultural traditions.

[edit] The Southern Cross

The Eureka Flag: not considered a serious alternative flag, due to its political associations and those with the State of Victoria.
The Eureka Flag: not considered a serious alternative flag, due to its political associations and those with the State of Victoria.
Aus Flag winning design with Southern Cross replacing the Federation Star
Aus Flag winning design with Southern Cross replacing the Federation Star

Most supporters of a new flag wanted to keep the Southern Cross in any future design, with the Southern Cross featuring in almost all suggested replacement flags submitted to Ausflag.[17]

Supporters and detractors of the current flag agree that the Southern Cross represents Australia's position in the Southern Hemisphere (see Southern Cross Flag). The Southern Cross was also known to ancient Aborigines and features in a number of their traditional legends.[18]

[edit] Progress of the debate

On 24 March 1998, the Flags Amendment Bill became law after all-party support in the Australian parliament. It amended the Flags Act (Cwth, 1953) to ensure that the Australian national flag can only be changed with the agreement of the Australian electorate. In theory, parliament could change the flag by repealing or even ignoring the relevant sections but this is viewed as politically risky because of the expectation of a popular vote created by the amendment.

Notable Australian republicans have spoken in favour of retaining the existing design, including Hazel Hawke, who, in the lead-up to the 1999 referendum asserted that "the flag will not change" in the event of the country becoming a republic. [19] In 1994, former chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, Malcolm Turnbull, left Ausflag and in 2004 joined the Australian National Flag Association. [20]

According to a 2004 poll about removing the Union Jack from the Australian flag, 32% of respondents were in favour, 57% were against, and 11% were uncommitted. [21]

[edit] References

  1. ^ AML pamphlet during 1999 republic referendum, with the NZ flag incorrectly used instead of the Australian flag
  2. ^ Speech by Lois O'Donoghue, 1998.
  3. ^ A racist flag?
  4. ^ Australian Red Ensign - Myths and Facts. Ausflag (2006-06-12). Retrieved on 2007-12-17.
  5. ^ a b History of the Australian flag: Obtaining approval from London. Flags of the World. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  6. ^ Debra Jopson. "Aboriginal flag has many roles, says designer", Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax, 1994-09-03. 
  7. ^ "I was a signalman on "Hobart" at the time we invaded the Solomons and the ship photographer took this snap after I came back down from securing the flag. The guns kept firing while I was still up there, and that mast shook like crazy." (Eyewitness statement)
  8. ^ Professor Geoffrey Blainey, Flag Day 2001 address, Brisbane.
  9. ^ The West Australian, Burn Candles as nation's flag flies free, 3 September 2003
  10. ^ Source: Australian Flag Society
  11. ^ George Odgers, "The Royal Australian Navy - An Illustrated History", p. 41
  12. ^ M.O.58 (1908) Attention is directed to Statutory Rule 27/08 published in M.O. 58/08. The Australian Ensign will accordingly be flown at all flag stations throughout the Commonwealth. M.O.135 (1911) It is directed that in future the Australian Flag is to be used as the saluting flag at all reviews and ceremonial parades. Source: Australian Army Military Orders
  13. ^ Minister for Veteran's Affairs, Mr Bruce Scott, Flag Day 2001 message.
  14. ^ Christian Democratic Party
  15. ^ Source: Australian Flag Society
  16. ^ Terry Smyth. "Flagpoles Apart", The Sun Herald, Fairfax, 1997-08-17, pp. 60. 
  17. ^ 1998 Ausflag Professional Flag Design Competition.
  18. ^ The story of Mululu and his four daughters
  19. ^ Republic referendum a political campaign with few precedents
  20. ^ Malcolm Turnbull joins the Australian National Flag Association
  21. ^ Newspoll. Thinking now about the design of the Australian flag. Are you personally in favour or against changing the Australian flag so as to remove the Union Jack emblem?, 2004-01-25

[edit] External links

[edit] See also