MEDIA RELEASE. Friday 22 November 1996
A group of prominent NSW citizens including two former NSW Premiers, the Hon Nick Greiner and the Hon Barrie Unsworth, the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Councillor Frank Sartor, and sporting personalities Dawn Fraser, Greg Matthews, Sir James Hardy, Iain Murray, Wayne Pearce, Damien Keogh, Simon Poidevin and Peter FitzSimons, has called on the NSW Government to consider the proclamation of a new NSW flag.
They said: "Opinion polls and anecdotal evidence reveal conclusively that generally the people of NSW cannot recognise their state flag. It is rarely if ever used by the general public or at sporting events. We would like to see a new flag proclaimed which the citizens of NSW can recognise, identify with and fly with pride."
They added: "We believe that a truly identifiable flag would greatly assist in engendering pride in the NSW state and in the promotion of NSW. It is particularly important as we will be the state hosting the 2000 Olympics, a time at which NSW will be on display to the world".
"The proposal should be widely debated in the NSW Parliament and by the public generally. We feel certain that the right design will receive widespread acceptance by the majority of the members of Parliament and the people of NSW," they said.
From Friday 22 November 1996, Ausflag will fly two new proposals for a new flag for New South Wales in William Street, Sydney (between the Kings Cross tunnel and Crown Street). Both designs incorporate the two principal symbols of NSW: the waratah and sky blue.
Ausflag wishes to thank:
John Pope of McDonald Industries (Sponsors)
Billy Blue
Brendan Jones
Hulsbosch
Southern Cross Flags
South Sydney Council
Sydney City Council
Fuji Xerox