Other views about the Australian Red and Blue Ensigns

It is probably fair to ask what other people say about the matter.

The people from the group called AUSFLAG that are agitating for a new flag say this . . .

The Australian Civil Ensign, or Australian Red Ensign, is simply a red version of the Australian National flag. It is for use only at sea and officially never on land, but can be used by private citizens. At sea, it is the only flag allowable for merchant ships registered in Australia under the Navigation and Shipping Act 1912 and The Shipping Registration Act 1981. Pleasure craft, however, may fly either the Red Ensign or the National Flag.

The history of the Red Ensign is intertwined with the history of the Australian National flag. From 1901 to 1954 the Red Ensign was in practice, used as Australia's Civil Flag, i.e. the flag to be flown by private citizens on land. The Blue Ensign was for Government use only, reflecting British practice with its ensigns.

The design of the Australian Red Ensign was always kept in step with the Blue Ensign (i.e. with respect to the number of points on the stars, etc.) but there was often public confusion about which was the `correct' flag to fly. Many thought the choice was merely one of fashion or preference.

In 1941, Australia's Prime Minister Robert Menzies added to this confusion by directing that there should be no restriction on private citizens flying the Blue Ensign, though most people continued to use the red ensign. This Government consent was reaffirmed by Prime Minister Ben Chifley in February 1947. However, the confusion really wasn't ended until the Flags Act 1953 (enacted in 1954) gave legal effect to this directive, with the Red Ensign becoming reserved as the Civil Ensign.

Visit them at http://www.ausflag.com.au/flags/ensign.html

NOW WHAT DOES THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SAY in 2002?

The Australian Flag came into being after the federation of the Australian States into the Commonwealth of Australian on 1 January, 1901. The Commonwealth Blue Ensign was selected as a result of a public competition (over 30 000 designs were submitted); although selected in 1901 and gazetted in 1903, it was not given Royal assent and adopted as the definitive Australian flag until 1954 in the Flags Act 1953 (Act No. 1 of 1954)! It is based on the Blue Ensign of the United Kingdom, is twice as long as it is wide, and consists of a dark blue field that can be notionally divided into four quadrants. There is a different motif in each of the upper and lower hoist quadrants and the remaining two quadrants of the fly share another different constellation motif.

Visit them at http://www.anbg.gov.au/oz/flag.html

So it would seem that everybody agrees (except a couple of foul mouthed yobbos who claim to speak for the Australian National Flag Association) that the Red Ensign WAS used in Australia as the Civil Flag and that it did fly over many battlefields and that it was not the only flag used.

They also seem to agree that there was legislative confusion that came from sloppy law being written.

Would someone please tell the folks at the Australian National Flag Association that I support their desire to maintain the current flag but that trying to 'rewrite' history and abusing your supporters is not the best way to go about gaining that aim.