Who cares how the existing flag came to be the official one? Competition in a magazine or no, the important point is that it no longer does its job.

And what is that job? To symbolise our country as a proud independent nation. The current flag might have done that a hundred years ago, but it sure as hell doesn't now.

If we really do have to include some element which reminds us "where we've come from" (and I'm not sure how the Union Jack in the top corner reminds aborigines, or those of Greek or Italian or Chinese descent, and heaps of others, of "where they've come from), then perhaps include the traditional red white and blue. But including the entire flag of the former colonial power suggests continued dominance by that power, not origins.

The Canadians managed to get rid of the "where we've come from" handcuffs 40-plus years ago. Their flag's colours are entirely arbitrary, having no historical or symbolic or heraldic significance to Canada whatever. But can anyone seriously suggest their current flag doesn't do a great job for their nation?

Try this one: http://www.ausflag.com.au/reconciliation_flag.asp for an example of how to incorporate the traditional red white and blue, and merge it into aboriginal colours. Ticks all the boxes for me.

Pelican.
Obama's a manufactured product of the Empire, his job is to be Black, that's all. I can assure you that the people steering him from one teleprompter to the next have no interest in peace, human rights or even "minorities" for that matter,they want sovereignty over every living thing on the planet and stewardship of all natural resources, end of story.
As for the "rest of the world", worry about yourself first, they don't care about you or what you think.
Everyone who's taken the part of the "other", from Emma Goldman to Oprah Winfrey has ended up looking like a Dunce in the end.
Secure your own sovereignty, your own means of sustenance and your own liberty first.

Mr. Pidgeon,

No one other than a scoundrel needs a flag.

Asylum seekers who knock at our door are escaping the tyranny of scoundrels.

In the shadow of flags all sort of cruelties against humanity have been committed since times immemorial and continue to be committed under our own eyes.

The ones who follow a flag have to stun their moral sense first in order to commit the criminal acts required by the flag bearers; looting, raping, maiming, killing.

Flag bearers that once were Kings and now are Politicians.

Mr. Pidgeon, in the dilemma, caring for a Just Australia or favoring mischief, the choice is not difficult, and flags do not enter.

If humanity has any chance of prolonging its existence from this point on, flags have to disappear, and Democracy, World Democracy, has to be our ultimate aim.

As Carlo Levi seventy years ago in his book, ‘Christ stopped at Eboli’ said “we must act quickly and do things well because we die”.

"Secure your own sovereignty, your own means of sustenance and your own liberty first."

Yes, I agree but that can be achieved without exploitation of another's rights. In regards to the Flag, it is only one part of our identity and Australia has changed since the first Flag was flown.

If we were to become a Republic - a Flag change would fit in with that sovereignty