Australian Flag Ideas
This design for a new Australian flag was inspired by the outbreak of divisive argument over a Republic following the elections of 1993. The Republic dispute spilled over to the flag and there seemed no willingness to compromise and move forward.
This design then is one which has a unifying aim.
General features.
- Evolutionary, befitting a society in evolution: it incorporates various elements but is still fresh and new. It lends itself to further evolution.
- It captures the essence of a culture, its traditions, institutions, environment and hopes.
- It is a symbolic representation of a history, political system, geography/geomorphology, nation and people.
- It has design qualities of being striking, distinctive but also allusive.
It works at different levels.
- Stylistic: representation of geographical position, geomorphology, historical development and political status and aspirations.
- Representative symbolism, political: federal system, democracy, republic, unity.
- Representative symbolism, historical: evolution from British colonies, reconciliation with original peoples.
- Cultural: unity of many peoples of different origins under the southern sky, the development of an identity, the dominance of the environment and the need to care for it.
The Federation Star . . .
is shifted from lower to upper left quadrant representing the change in Australia's politico-legal status, but also implying continuity: the centre circle representing the unifying central power, the radius of the inner cirrcle equal to the length of each of the points of the star representing the balanced partnership. Also representing the Sun which so dominates our environment and suggestive of the Aboriginal flag. The Federation Star may be seven-pointed as at present or be increased to eight-pointed for any future State.
The Southern Cross . . .
which represents our geographical position, the unity of the nation in a free democracy and is a symbol of the new world and opportunity, is retained as 4 seven-pointed stars and 1 five-pointed stars and shifted slightly higher into the great canopy of sky over the island continent in the Southern Hemisphere. Its colour can be matched with the Federation Star as golden yellow for design purposes or retained as white for amplification of continuity.
The Black/Red Diagonal . . .
incorporates the colours of the Aboriginal flag representing the original inhabitants of the land, the land itself, its animals and plants. The colour bands overall are a stylistic representation of the island continent with its red centre surrounded by ocean with a narrow band of surf and beach and all embraced by the great canopy at night.
The left lower quadrant is also suggestive of the Union Jack representing our major cultural/historical heritage including our common language.