I wonder how people internalize the green and gold V red white and blue as national colours.
Why not make up our minds? and go with green and gold and a flag the same.

Green background and Gold Southern Cross and Federation star.
If we get Abbott in we could bend one of the point to represent the Australian territory exorcised from the legal coverage.

I wonder how many Aussies can name the individual stars, the number of points on the fed star, why that number. or how many verses our 'national anthem' has let alone recite them.

I bet the no change brigade couldn't pass such an elemental test.

My point is, it's all emotional curmudgeonary nonsense to be wedded to symbols you can't answer basic questions on.

Hasbeen,that same TV station a few years back asked "is a unicameral system a good idea" ....40% admitted didn't know what it was, but 63% said it shouldn't be introduced into Queensland... ps it means single house government, Queensland is the only *state* that is, since the 1920's. Be careful of quoting public media polls. 64% are meaningless and 82% don't mean anything (sic).

Sounds sensible JMCC.

<< No change to our system of government. >>

Yes, in terms of our current system as opposed to a republic system.

But boy, we sure do need some fundamental changes in our system of government in other ways.

I’m non-plussed by the monarchist/republic debate because I can’t see that it would lead to any significant improvements to our governance or to the future wellbeing of the Australian nation or its people.

Thus, I see this discussion as a little virtually meaningless distraction from what really matters.

If a republic meant that we’d dump Rudd’s gravely bad massively-high-immigration big-Australia grossly-antisustainable political direction and embrace a stable-population sustainability-paradigm approach, then I’d be all for it.

The Missus and Individual,
Agree with you both on this issue.

Foxy said, "Each culture and each wave of migrants - brought
enrichment and diversity to the country we know and
love today"

Yes that is right but, not acknowledged by those that see multiculturalism through rose coloured glasses, some cultures also bring hatreds and alien ways with them as well. Even some 2nd and 3rd generations do not see themselves as Aussies and display no love or respect for our society. Some utterly refuse to integrate.

The violence at the tennis is an example of retained ultra-nationalism. These people do not have any real interest in the standard of tennis being played.

It is now being revealed that we have multicultural racism, where gangs of ethnics pick on and bash individuals of another ethnicity. Sad to say that some anglo-Aussies appear also to be involved. Indian students are the main victims but it is not exclusive to them.

It seems that Lebs, Islanders, Maoris, Asains and Africians have been cited as attackers. A few months ago there was violence between Sri Lankans and in one attack acid was poured over the victim.

I am angry that the media, police and politicians allowed the world to think that anglo-aussies are to blame, through ommission of the ethnicity of the attackers.

Welcome to the wonderfull world of multiculturalism!

Our present flag acknowledges that we inherited the British parliamentry system (slightly ammended) and judicial system. In fact most of our basic institutions stemmed from Britian and have contributed much to the stability of our country. There are many countries that do not enjoy the safety and stability we have.

For that we should be eternally gratefull, so leave the flag as it

Dear Individual, Banjo,

I understand your fears - they've been
with us for generations. Each new wave
of migrants brought the "fear of the unknown"
with them into this country - Poles, Italians,
Vietnamese, Greeks, and other ethnics -
all went through the "them"
and "us" syndrome. Labelling is
disabling. The diagnosis may become the
disease. People often tend to live up
to negative predictions - especially
if they're being excluded. They become
what they're told they are. People need help
to settle in - they need understanding - and
to be made to feel welcome in a strange land.

The simple fact is - if you're
not acceptable to the mainstream - you develop
your own ghettos - and live with people that
understand you and you understand them. The same
goes for Aussies in London - who tend to group
together.

Migrants also have little representation in the
political institutions that make decisions.

We can finger-point all we like - but perhaps it
would be better to look at the root causes of
WHY things are happening - and re-education just
may be the key - starting with the young at school.
Treating people as aliens won't solve the problem -
it will only increase it.

As for the flag? I don't think anyone is
deliberately trying to demean the one we have.
On the contrary, I think all that is being asked -
is that we debate the issue. If Australians feel
that what we have should remain as is - I don't
have a problem with that. It's up to the people
to decide. However what I do have a problem with
is being told that we're not allowed to discuss
the issue. And if we do, we're somehow doing
harm.

Change the flag? pft. Why? Because it no longer represents Australia well enough or it's symbolism has been hijacked?

So what happens the next time Australia has something to be ashamed of? Do we change it again?

I think we should change the flag every time we lose the Ashes if that's the case.

What happens when a Klu Klux Klan member is premier of Victoria?
Change the flag the next year?

Or when young bogans cape themselves in the new flag?
Change it again?

As for Ms Hardy, well, it's nice to bang on about racism while showing deep seated class prejudice.

All this Australia day cringing is really just an excuse for good ol' Bogan bashing.

Great fun though it is!

examinator,

The national or sporting colours of many countries are different to their flag colours. It is usual, not unusual.

Australia's national colours were rightly blue and gold, but through of common use - said to have been started by a cricket team that wore caps with 'Wattle Tree's Green Leaf and Gold Wattle flower' - the colours adopted in 1984 were green and gold.

Gough Whitlam preferred the original blue and gold but went along with green and gold. Gough also fixed up the previous weird paw position of the roo on the coat of arms (stylised and formal versions) and gave the buck red roo an impressive reddish chest (virility).

To All
One of the reasons there is so much support for the present Australian flag is that people are concerned about political correctness overcoming tradition and common sense.