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One United Southern Land
#14
- Representing
- Australia
- Proposed
- 2006
- Proposer
- Peter Ballard
- Proposal
- One United Southern Land — Original file
- Source
- One United Southern Land — Original page
- Publication
- Peter Ballard's website — Original site
Description
I propose an evolutionary design. The existing flag has three components: the Union Jack, the Federation Star, and the Southern Cross. My proposal is to keep the latter two, and modify the Australian flag in a simple three step process:Australian Flag Starting with the current Australian flag, Step 1: Remove the Union Jack. Step 2: Move the Federation Star up. Step 3: Put Uluru in the bottom left hand corner.
The Southern Cross shows our geography, the Federation Star speaks of our unity, and Uluru is representative of our entire land. The result: One United Southern Land.
Why Uluru?
Rather than just remove the Union Jack, I believe it would be good to replace it with something.
The ideal is something which connects us to our past, but does not uniquely belong to any one group.
The kangaroo is a popular suggestion, but the kangaroo-image has been over commerialised, appearing on a myriad of Australian products.
That leaves me believing that Uluru, or a stylised Uluru which represents the land, is the best alternative to go on our flag. Aborigines feel a deep connection with the land and to represent the land helps to recognise our aboriginal history and heritage, yet neither Uluru nor the land belong solely to Aborigines. And Uluru is a symbol with which all Australians can identify.
Furthermore, I believe the image of the Southern Cross over Uluru is both profoundly spiritual and profondly Australian.
Why this new flag design?
It is evolutionary - it is recognisable as a deriviative of the existing Australian flag. It preserves the Southern Cross and the Federation Star, in identical form to the existing flag. It is inclusive - every part belongs to every Australian. There is no "British part" or "aboriginal part". It has a theme - One United Southern Land The new symbol - Uluru - is profoundly Australian but has not been cheapened by commercial usage. The new symbol carries meaning to aborigines without being exclusively aboriginal. It is simple and instantly recognisable. Like the existing flag, it is amenable to colour changes for alternate flags (navy, air force etc.)
One United Southern Land - an Australian flag for all Australians.