Poll: A question to my fellow Aussies (and anyone else interested)

[EmeraldGreen]

I like the anthem. It's not the greatest anthem ever, but it suffices.

I'd love to change the flag, though. It's overcomplicated and almost exactly the same as half a dozen other Oceanic nations' flags. And while I admit the UK has probably had the greatest impact on the formation of modern Australian society - by far - the inclusion of the Union Jack still gives me the itchy-scratchies. Isn't Australian culture distinct enough now that we should have a flag of our own, instead of one that just screams "member of the British Empire"? (Also - subjective, but hey - I think the current flag is horribly ugly. That murky blue and red? Yeuch.)

I'd like a flag that's simple and iconic - like Canada's flag. Something that's meaningful, but also recognisable at a glance. Someone up-thread suggested a green and gold kangaroo. I really don't like green and gold together - apologies to whoever decided they'd be Australia's colours - but a stylised kangaroo would make a good symbol.

(On the other hand, it might just look like we'd adopted the Qantas logo as our flag. In which case, we could change the anthem to I Still Call Australia Home and become One Nation Under Qantas.)

 

[Spoonius]

It'd be one thing for the flag to be modified, but entirely replaced?

No.

Think of the history behind not only our flag, but our nation. That history should never be disregarded or forgotten, and our flag serves as a constant reminder of everything that made Australia what it is today.

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As for the anthem, I'm torn. On the one hand, it's one of the truest I've ever heard, but then again, it just fails to enrapture an audience.

Change the melody, keep the lyrics.

 

[cjbos81]

Your flag should be changed to a red and white striped background with the word "51st" in the center.

Your anthem should just be 5 minutes of chanting:
"KILL KILL FIGHT, KILL KILL FIGHT, KILL KILL FIGHT".

Then Paul Hogan could sacrifice a kangaroo by slitting its throat.

 

[Thaluikhain]

It's overcomplicated and almost exactly the same as half a dozen other Oceanic nations' flags.

Well...it's very similar to New Zealand's flag, but easily distinguishable from the rest. Fiji and Tuvalu both have the Union Flag in the corner and a shade of blue for the rest of the flag, but they don't look much like the Australian flag to me.

Hang on, why is nobody asking to change the NZ, Fijian or Tuvalu flag?

 

[MasterProcrastinator]

I'd like to have the anthem changed, but only because it's an awful piece of music.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Canadian here, do what you want mates. We're going to stay pretty close to the Brits but we're our own country.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

IS that serious? On the actual news they say 'Poms'? That's hilarious levels of unprofessionalism. That's like 'George Osborne announced the new Budget today, with a range of really Jewy cutbacks on spending.' Sland just shouldn't have a plance in the news, it's fine on almost any other show, but when you're being factual, surely there's a level of decorum to adhere to? Or am I being altogether far too 'English' about that?

I'm pretty sure even in the sports section of the news, you're 'the Australian Cricket team' and not 'the aussies'.

Note I'm absolutely not making this a racial thing, I'm just interested in how far slang can be acceptable in news reporting, there's a fairly high standard in most places, one that I wish they'd keep to in terms of facts

Seriously tho, I'd say unless you feel like we're oppressing you, and you feel the need for a revolution, then it's not worth throwing millions of dollars at the non existent 'problem', that money could be better spent protecting 17 year olds from mind warping stuff like Fallout 3. *cough*

As a brit however, my feelings towards Australia wouldn't change a bit if they chose to shake off the yoke of imperial oppresion and have their own currency and flag.

Perhaps a green 4 pack of tinnies overlaid on two crossed barbecue forks? Ok,ok, maybe I did let racial stereotypes slip in just a little.

 

[Keepitclean]

If the flag were changed thousands of bikinis would be out of date... That is the cold hard fact, draw your conclusions knowing that.

Flag: Unless we leave the Commonwealth it should stay as it is. Even if Australia does leave I'm undecided on whether it should change.

Anthem: Should remain the same. There is no reason to change it because nothing in it is out of date.

 

[Project_Xii]

The flag I don't care about. The anthem? Probably. For starters no one knows the words, but really when you're drinking beer on Australia Day, using the flag as a cape and screaming "AUSTRALIANS ALL HAVE OSTRICHES, FOR ONE PLUS TWO IS THREE!!!!", you can't help but want to keep things the way they are.

 

[Woodsey]

I think its a horrible idea.

First we become a republic.
Then we change the flag.
Then the anthem...

Next thing you know we're driving on the wrong side of the road, eradicating the letter U from common words and using an illogical date format.

Do you not find it strange that the Australian head of state is a Brit?

It's not like the reason for it is massively illogical.

OT: Who gives a shit about national anthems? As for your flag, looks alright, is it really worth the hassle? Other countries don't just change their flags every time the meaning behind it's original creation gets further away.

 

[KLJT]

You are still subjects of the British crown and Waltzing Matilda is a great song by the Pogues that wouldn't make sense if changed

 

[EmeraldGreen]

It's overcomplicated and almost exactly the same as half a dozen other Oceanic nations' flags.

Well...it's very similar to New Zealand's flag, but easily distinguishable from the rest. Fiji and Tuvalu both have the Union Flag in the corner and a shade of blue for the rest of the flag, but they don't look much like the Australian flag to me.

True. I exaggerated. But I'd still prefer a flag that was just ours, not one of a family of ex-British Empire nations' flags.

Hang on, why is nobody asking to change the NZ, Fijian or Tuvalu flag?

Some [http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/John%20Moody.pdf] people [http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=104050] are. Tuvalu actually changed [http://flagspot.net/flags/tv.html#tuvalu951] its flag briefly, taking out the Union Jack - and then put it back in again...

 

[Hwoof]

In all honesty, I'd have no idea what we'd change the flag and national anthem to.

As far as I'm concerned, they're fine the way they are. The union Jack actually makes our flag look good, and in some sense, professional.

 

[Zhukov]

The anthem is crap. Hardly anybody knows the words anyway. Even fewer people know the second verse.

I couldn't care less about the flag.

 

[Alexnader]

The anthem is crap. Hardly anybody knows the words anyway. Even fewer people know the second verse.

I couldn't care less about the flag.

It's a boring sounding anthem compared to say, China's, however I should think a lot of school children would know the anthem's first verse. At both my primary and high school (public schools) we were required to sing it at assemblies.
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Anyway why bother changing either? More to the point why bother becoming a republic? There's precious little to Australia's culture without us having to gloss over even more of our history by severing ties with the UK and it's not like Britain could actually abuse whatever ties there are between us. If they start talking about turning Australia into their version of Florida then fine we'll become a republic but until then I don't see the point in changing anything.

 

[Spoonius]

Waltzing Matilda is a great song by the Pogues that wouldn't make sense if changed

"...Waltzing Matilda, who bloody killed her?
Lying on the grass with a dagger up her arse..."

 

[ApeShapeDeity]

I'm feircely proud of my country. (Which, incidentally is why I get so pissed off when it does sucky shit)

I'm also an Australian republican. I believe the time is long psat due that we become a republic, not that I want to deny our british heritage, but we're no longer really british.

This is a fully multicultural society, and that needs to be recognised. Not just by others, but by ourselves.

England will understand. They'll still be our close knit allies.

The only real reason not to is that we can't own the shit out of the Commonwealth Games anymore...

...severing ties with the UK and it's not like Britain could actually abuse whatever ties there are between us. If they start talking about turning Australia into their version of Florida then fine we'll become a republic but until then I don't see the point in changing anything.

Seriously? You've never heard of the Govenor General? You know that (theoretically) the Queen can over-rule our laws? I'm not comfortable with that, are you?