Quote of the month!

December 1996

Ausflag recently launched a campaign for a new flag for New South Wales. The Sydney Morning Herald wrote in an Editorial:

"The two designs for a NSW flag that have gone on public display should provide the impetus for a new State flag... The symbols and the colours on the flags are so resonant of NSW that inhabitants here will have no trouble recognising either flag as the State flag. The present flag is... a construct of colonialism. It was intended... to serve a British rather than a NSW purpose. The symbols on the flag and its colours are British and not NSW symbols and colours. There should be widespread approval for the change which should not be seen as a sign of an imminent republicanism. This is an issue of the identity of NSW and not a constitutional issue."

November 1996

The Hon Nick Greiner AC (former Premier of NSW and architect of the successful Olympics 2000 bid) recently joined the Ausflag Board and was elected Co-Chairman. Upon joining Ausflag, Mr Greiner said:

"I want to assist in seeing that a truly identifiable national flag is flying over Australia in time for the 2000 Olympics. I have great respect for our British heritage, but Australia is no longer a colony of Britain. Australia is a sovereign, independent nation and it is now time that we showed the world that we have grown up. For two weeks the Australian flag will be shown on billions of TV screens around the world. We cannot afford to project the image of a country still subordinate to Britain as we move into the next millennium. We have a great opportunity to be a leading nation in our region, but leading nations do not have flags which reflect subordination to other nations."

October 1996

Australia's oldest Olympian, Edgar 'Dunc' Gray, sadly passed away last month. He was a feisty advocate for a republic and a new flag. One emotional event in particular cemented his passionate views:

"If we want to be Australians, we must have our own flag. When I won the gold medal at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, they put the Australian flag up to the masthead and you could only see the Union Jack. Then they played God Save the King and I wondered who I was riding for."

May Edgar Gray rest in peace and let's ensure his dreams come true.

September 1996

"It is time to begin the process of deciding on a flag which is truly representative of all Australians. Instead of worrying about a plebiscite before changing the flag, the Government should be planning a competition and plebiscite to find a new one. What a great occasion it would be if, in four years' time in Sydney, Cathy Freeman - after winning the gold medal - proudly took a new national flag and expressed similar sentiments to those of Josia Thugwane. For most Australians there could be no more moving symbol of a People coming together at last as one nation."

"Flag pride", Sydney Morning Herald Editorial, 10 August 1996.

August 1996

"Australia, the lucky country... is a nation sans vitalité... we must establish an identity of which all Australians can be proud. The Union Jack just doesn't symbolise the spirit of Australia to most people. The time is ripe to change, to mature."

Sydney Grammar students Scott Morrison, Shaun Chau, Suhas Nayak and Nicholas Hume, winners of the 1996 Business Council of Australia Award for their "Vision of Australia".

Previous Quotes of the Month

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