Hi Hasbeen,

Australians fought under (not for) the
Union Jack in the Boer War. They fought under the
Australian Red Ensign or the Union Jack in WWII.
Changing the flag will not in any way demean those who died.

We've fought under other flags for decades.

Aidan,
Thanks for that, I checked it out and either term appears to be correct.

So Foxy, you would be happy with a sky blue flag with seven white stars. High aspirartions to reach the stars with purity. Australian cultural diversity is too corrupt to have such a flag without giving sworn allegiance to such a high goal. Green and gold is growth prosperity and wealth.

From a speech by Dr Lois O'Donoghue from 1998:

"Our national flag should be a symbol of our national ideals and of the people we want to be. We regard ourselves as independent, individual and inclusive ‐ but our existing flag, our national symbol, says none of this.

Instead, it symbolises a narrow slice of our history including a significant period when the rights of Australia's indigenous peoples were overlooked.

For this reason, most of Australia's indigenous people cannot relate to the existing flag. For us, it symbolises dispossession and oppression. And it just doesn't reflect the reality of Australian life in the late 1990s.

We are a country that prides itself on diversity and tolerance, yet some of us cling to a flag that represents a monoculture and intolerance. We are a country that has debated important national
issues such as justice, rights and identity, yet the current flag symbolises quite the opposite ‐ complacency, dependency and subordination.

I reject the proposal that we are risking our sense of historical place by seeking a new flag."

http://www.ausflag.com.au/assets/images/contentpics/Flag-Speech-by-Dr-Lois-(Lowitja)-ODonoghue-980125.pdf

A new sense of connection which can be linked to by many including a new flag alongside other elements can lead to improvements in Australia, but for some is seen as too sybolic or simplistic, when in real terms for many it is not. What I may have a position comes second, when I can see benefits to a wider group of people with a new flag.

Hi Nathan,

I would also be happy with a deep green flag
and seven gold stars.

Green and gold has always been associated with
our sporting achievements. But there's no reason
why these colours could be part and parcel of our
national flag. After all Gold could conjure up
images of wealth and prosperity as you suggest.
Images of our beaches, our mineral wealth, our
grain harvest and even the fleece of our
Australian wool.

It also it our national emblem - the golden wattle.
The green would evoke our forests, eucalyptus trees,
and the pastures of our Australian landscape.

Something to definitely consider.

Hi Nathan,

Thank You for the quote. It does make sense.
And there's no good reason why we should not at least
have a debate on the subject.

Foxy,
As I recall, there was a political pressure group in the 1990s that produced T shirts picturing the flag you favour along with the slogan "JACK OFF"

Change for its own sake, rather than any real improvement, is something we're better off without!