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The Forum > Article Comments > Australia's national identity > Comments

Australia's national identity : Comments

By Jieh-Yung Lo, published 24/6/2008

It is becoming harder to justify the relevance of the British monarchy to an ever-changing multicultural Australia.

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I will agree with an Australian Head of State when all Australian citizens hold allegience to Australia and only to Australia: no dual citizenship or dual nationality - which is like marrying into two families and not being able to decide which one you are loyal to.

The greatest recent example can be found in the Canberra Torch Relay:

from

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/343376/1/.html

"More than 10,000 Chinese Australians rallied in Canberra, bringing a sea of red Chinese flags in the biggest pro-Beijing rally of the protest-marred relay."

To whom are these 'Chinese Australians' loyal? Australia, or China? Live under one flag, and choose what flag that will be.
Posted by Hamlet, Wednesday, 25 June 2008 12:29:49 AM
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"Jieh-Yung is a Policy/Project Officer of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria and Executive Member of Chinese Culture Monthly. He is based in Melbourne."

Get the message?
Posted by Mr. Right, Wednesday, 25 June 2008 9:55:51 AM
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Take another look at the last paragraph:

quote:

"Having an Australian as our own head of sate"

:unquote.

Shouldn't we have a Thai or Indonesian head of sate?

By the way, under one god, commonwealth has nothing to do with wealth.

It is derived from the term 'commonweal', or public good or welfare, not some form of 'common-wealth' socialism. The 'weal' referring to prosperity and happiness.

One of the advantages of having a non-elected 'head of state', in terms of a human symbol of the state, is that the person is NOT chosen by the people, in that if elected those who did not vote for the person can feel free to reject that person as a symbol, and in doing so reject the notion of the sovereignty of the state.

Better to not have a head of state at all, than have one whose rejection by a portion of the population would be fractious.("Hey, I didn't vote for 'em, so why should I respect 'em!")
Posted by Hamlet, Wednesday, 25 June 2008 11:01:13 AM
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Hi Examinator....

you might find this story relevant to some of the things you said:

{Examinator}
- However all parts of these cultural practices must comply with Australian laws.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/25/2285395.htm
Posted by Polycarp, Thursday, 26 June 2008 8:07:42 AM
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God save the Queen!
Posted by Reality Check, Thursday, 26 June 2008 7:18:28 PM
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All very well said for someone of Chinese decent.
After Chen Yonglins statements that China has over 1,000 spies out here in "NEW SOUTH CHINA" (as China has referred to us in Chinese classrooms) Im finding it hard to trust what I hear or see that comes from Chinese folk.

Maybe in recent years (post Sept 11, 2001) Ive just become plain downright distrusting of foreign powers and alternative religions that fail to uplift the love of God in their daily living and in their dealing with others.

*It would serve China well.... I should think... if we dumped The Queen and Great Britain and opened the door a la Kevin Rudds dance with red China, for a new communism to take root in our beloved country.

So there, young chappie! Who do you work for?
Posted by Gibo, Sunday, 29 June 2008 2:58:43 PM
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