Flag under scrutiny for another Australia Day
Updated
Today is Australia Day and as with most country's national days it is an obvious occasion for some introspection, but once again the Australian flag is a target.
It has been branded colonial by a popular news personality who is leading a new effort to get it changed. He wants the British Union Jack in the top-left corner dropped and replaced with a uniquely Australian symbol. Neither the Prime Minister nor the Opposition leader agree.
But either way, there are warnings the flag is being hijacked in the cause of disunity.
Presenter: Linda Mottram, Canberra correspondent
Speaker: Harold Scruby, executive director of Ausflag; Senator Bob Brown, leader of Australian Greens Party; Professor Kevin Dunn, human geographer from University of Western Sydney
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MOTTRAM: Australians were once reserved about, perhaps even distrustful of, too many expressions of nationalism. But that's changed over time. Flagpoles have become commonplace in front gardens, attendance at ANZAC day war commemorations have risen after years in decline, and a flood of cheap paraphernalia has put the flag on everything from board shorts to bikinis. But the displays have not all been edifying.
(FX) Cronulla rioters chanting, "F... off Lebs"
MOTTRAM: Just over four years ago in the Sydney beach suburb of Cronulla, riots broke out that ran over several days and nights and seriously tainted Australia's international image. Attributed to racial tensions and notable in part for beer-fuelled youths caped in the Australian flag, it was an ugly moment in stark contrast to Australia's claim to be a successful, multicultural society and appalled police like Mark Goodwin, despatched to deal with the riots at the time.
GOODWIN: The behaviour that has been seen down here in Cronulla today is nothing short of disgusting and disgraceful.
MOTTRAM: The attempt by anti-immigration and ultra-nationalist forces to co-opt the Australian flag to their message is attributable directly to the continuing presence on the flag of the British Union Jack, says Harold Scruby, founder of the Ausflag movement.
SCRUBY: There is no doubt in my mind that those people in Cronulla, were saying, by using that union jack part of our flag, were saying: "I'm more Australian than you. Get out." And that's what's wrong with out flag.
MOTTRAM: Since 1981, Harold Scruby and Ausflag have promoted a debate about the national symbols. In 1984, Australia changed its national anthem from God Save the Queen, the British anthem, to Advance Australia Fair. Harold Scruby says the flag must change too.
SCRUBY: It's a colonial ensign which is British. Now we're not British, we're Australians. We're a sovereign, independent nation.
MOTTRAM: And he points to South Africa, the United States and to Canada, another former British colony, with its iconic red and white flag featuring a red maple leaf.
SCRUBY: And the Canadian flag has been so successful in uniting the indigenous people, the French, the British and every other group that's come there that I know that we can do a lot better.
MOTTRAM: So Ausflag is moving to reinvigorate its flag campaign and its used Australia Day to do it, attracting popular media personality, Ray Martin, to lead the new effort, which is already supported by prominent authors, sports people and former politicians. An accompanying debate is whether Australia Day itself should change from January to May, to mark the granting of equal citizenship to Aborigines in 1967, rather than the arrival of the first whites.
On the issue of the flag, there's been no shortage of ideas collated over years of flag design competitions. Australian Greens leader Senator Bob Brown favours replacing the Union Jack.
BROWN: The government ought to be asking Austrlaians about what to put there. But a symbol of indigenous heritage or of Australia's own view of itself as a nation in that corner. Maybe something reflecting the Australian colours of green and gold.
MOTTRAM: But despite Kevin Rudd's propensity for symbolic gestures, such as the apology to indigenous Australians, his government's saying there'll be no change to the flag. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
GILLARD: It's part of our history, I believe it should be part of our future. It's become our flag, our national symbol, I believe Australians identify with it. It's certainly been our flag as we've gone into war, it's our flag as we've gone into international sporting events. It's now displayed proudly around the nation and we should keep it the same.
MOTTRAM: But even without change, there are warnings that Australia's flag needs to be taken back from those who would abuse it. Professor Kevin Dunn is a human georgrapher at the University of Western Sydney.
DUNN: Unfortunately organised racist groups have in the last few years latched upon the Southern Cross as an icon and they are using it on their websites and the like. And those people are using those icons on themselves, on their cars as statements about who belongs and who doesn't.
MOTTRAM: And the 2005 Cronulla riots displayed the violent potential for the misuse of national symbols.
