Many years ago an episode of Fast Forward had a sketch with Marg Downey hosting an audience forum, dressed up in her comedy impersonation of Jana Wendt.
The audience forum was on the subject of changing the Australian flag.
Two old dears in the audience (none other than Magda Szubanski and Jane Turner) agreed the flag should change.
“Put Ray! Put Ray on the Flag!” they yelled.
It’s hard not to remember that moment today as Ray is quoted in the Herald Sun as calling for the Union Jack to disappear.
“I object to having the British flag in the corner of our flag,” he said.
“We have well and truly reached the point where we should have our own flag. I think we have to grow up and move on to the next stage.”
In keeping with Fast Forward‘s approach, perhaps we should now start a push to replace the Union Jack with Ray himself?
“Put Ray! Put Ray on the Flag!”
Source: Herald Sun
I don’t mind Ray having his opinion its what our country is all about and for a change it seems the majority is speaking their minds, so its obvious Aussies are very passionate about this issue.
I’m glad we changed the national anthem, singing a song about the saving our gracious queen is so lame its ridiculous. But to change our flag is another matter.
Lets show the respect deserved to generations of Aussies who have shown pride and courage serving our country under a flag most Aussies love and let the issue finally rest in peace, as by the way many Ausies have done serving under our flag.
It seems for true fairness we should have all the nations living here represented on the Aus flag. What garbage!!!! I can’t believe a majority of us want to change ,even Indigenous Aussies , Probably the Irish . it’s a waste of $$$ how many Referendums have got a tick only one, out of 40 odd.
The Flag is the Flag, let it be . Ray you have done quite well under the British system, get a life. Get over it , that goes for all of you . My wife is a Kiwi & she loves us & our Flag..
Barrow pushers aren’t open minded.
Proud Aussie Aussie Aussie Aussie OI OI OI
Mooloolah, what a great name. My great great grandmother was a koori woman. She was a member of the Kamilaroi nation, which lived in northern NSW and into southern Queensland. Her name was Bertha, she married my white fella great great grandfather (on my mother’s side) and she lived to a ripe old age. She tragically died in a cooking fire when her dress caught on fire. I don’t know anything else about Bertha but I intend to try and find out more. I have mostly Irish ancestors, but I’m very proud of my Aboriginal connection. Thanks you for asking.
This is an excerpt from part of a forum at a Sunshine Coast school,Ray Martin talking about his aboriginal heritage,I personally would find the man to be a little more creditable if he openly embraced the fact and perhaps any connection to a push from within “other” and sometimes more divisive protagonists.
I still find it amazing that most people I know are unaware that some one of such a high profile is of a part Aboriginal background and seems to only embrace it when it suits him.
To those who say Canada dropped their union flag, well actually until 1965 Canada never had an official national flag, so the maple leaf flag was introduced as their first national flag. To add to that, their union flag is still an official flag of Canada, and is
flown and used still to represent their membership in the commonwealth.
Our flag is drenched in history and I think if it were replaced it would be an insult to all those who fought under it.
@ Paull, thanks for that. I vaguely remembered.
On the multicultural issue, I’m yet to encounter a sizable group of people or read any factual evidence that suggest that non-Anglo or non-white people don’t like the flag or the commonwealth. I think most people assume it’s a given, but it’s something I really question.
Imagine the dreadful nsw government we’ve had for the past 15 years and Think of it on a national scale. That’s what Australia would look like if we Turned republican.
Put the lamb chop on the flag! Now thats Australian !!………..and I’m vegetarian.
Name changes come easy to some people! but those people who have secure family backgrounds do not believe in change for change sake, especially when the cost of changing the flag would be better spent on health and education.Just imagine the hoo-haa this would cause before everyone came to an agreement on the design
Margaret
Im not a massive fan of Ray but its great he’s spoken out on an issue thats close to the hearts of many Aussies who’ve become disillusioned and sick of our current flag. I’ve never been comfortable with our flag and its total lack of recognition of the first Australians, people who have lived on this land for >40000 years. The Union Jack on our flag is an insult to these people and represents nothing to Australian people of non-Brish backgrounds. Its time we had a flag we all could be proud of, one we can all relate to. I say ditch the Union Jack and bring our flag into the 21st century.
We do not need another flag to move forward into the 20th century let us have somethink left of our heritage all you wont is to keep taken away our histroy and leave us with a mess and our younger generation left woundering what and who are we.
The Royal Family is more Australian with releiatives born here so who are you to say we should not be happy when Prince William come here or other members of the Royal Family because what you see is what you get that is why we love them and they should stay. Monarchist Rule.
Its bad enough having our own vegemite changed to suit others give us a break.
I have served our country as a proud Aussie for many years and like many others willing to fight and die for it. However I believe a flag should be an identity symbol not a heritage symbol. We were born over 200yrs ago from English heritage. I believe we are long over due to have our own identity. Lets move on instead of living in the 18th century we are Australian not English. The debate over the new flag design!! keep it simple yellow over green with the southern cross as it is but in the middle.
If we became a republic has any one thought how much money would it cost Ray (just look at America) and would we adopt there way of of being elected every four years ????where as the Queen only comes every blue moon and Ray do she cost the Australian citizen that much and don’t you think we have got to many Premires as it is lets get rid of some,
Instead of wasting money replacing the flag, use the money for something useful.
If people want to waste time debating, how about discussing the removal of the state governments. These things have no apparent purpose or use.
From the looks of some of the comments here, I think Ray might be wrong on one point – we haven’t grown up yet!
Considering how multicultural Australia is today (with some sections of the community feeling increasingly isolated within the ‘mainstream’), we could take a leaf (pardon the pun) out of Canada’s book & change the flag towards a truly unifying symbol. Canada also had the imperialist Union Jack in the corner of their flag until 1965 when they adopted the current look. The Maple Leaf symbol recognised their independence while unifying Canada’s three main cultural groupings; the British, the French & the indigenous.
Just have a think about it…
Talking about changing the flag is just so…’80s.
@ Jaye
The Southern Cross we live under is not the “Southern Cross” that appears on our flag. Your suggestion for a new flag would also look god awful.
As for Ray, if he is all grown up, why has been so immature by once again using the classic lead up to Australia Day to promote a change in the flag and other such issues.
Our flag is fine, out anthem is fine and most of all being a part of the Commonwealth is fine. Changing to a republic will only cause more problems them we already have now.
@tad: not that I support ray martin, but just on his last name, that wasn’t the name he was born with- as his story goes, his mum/ siblings ran away from their abusive husband/ father when ray was just a kid. To make sure the dad couldn’t track him down, his mum change all their sir names to ‘martin’.
If it isn’t broke don’t try to fix it. I’ll say the same thing to changing the flag as what I do becoming a republic – what benefit will it bring to Australia? All I can see is billions of dollars being wasted on elections and advertising campaigns
@jaye: no I’m not, but don’t you get that feeling when you see the southern cross tatooed on someone or as stickers on someones car?
I like the SC, but i’d always make sure it was served with a side of union jack.
Good on you Ray.
Hear, hear.
“Clearly the aboriginal connection” and the irish one says everything. Obviously Ray is a bit insecure, how can he live with an English name like “Ray Martin”!
Hey gang, this isn’t about attacking Ray. It’s a topic we all need to involved in rather than throwing crap at each other…….. which is what Ray actually suggested !
Is Ray Martin grown up? If so, then why hasn’t he changed his surname? How can he be proud and move on while holding a relic of the past that cones from a place on the other side of the world? Who cares if it was not for his Martin ancestors he would not even exist.
In any change of flag their will be a loud group of people saying the aboriginal flag needs to be part of the national flag which I don’t think is deserved so no lets not get into yet another flag debate.
Don’t like Ray Martin, but completely agree with him on this.
Ray can go jump off a cliff. Even if we come a republic the flag should not change. It would be like changing our heritage. Why am i not surprised this comes up every single year. I am over it!
@ Paull
The southern cross? Racist? Surely you are trolling?
Virtually every Australian sporting team wears the southern cross and it’s a symbol all Australians can relate too as it is the constallation we all live under.
I say lose the union jack, move the federation star up a bit , keep the southern cross. Make the flag a tasteful dark green, the stars gold with a white outline.
Getting rid of the union jack would be taking away a part of our history and a part of Australia. Imagine if all our flag had on it was the southern cross- it would look racist, if you ask me.
I’m going to save what I really think until the republican debate gets back into swing, most probably when Prince Charles becomes king. However, I reckon if there were a multiple choice referendum as to what should be on the Australian flag, I have no doubt that a photo of Ray Martin with his gold Logies would certainly come out as the top choice.
The Union Flag appears on the flags of Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Tuvalu, Hawaii, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario.
Does Ray think that all of these people need to “grow up”?
Does he think that the people of Hawaii still need to “move on” and stop living in the past?
Well i want a republic, and although i love our flag, mainly because i’m a proud Australian and it’s our flag, i agree with Ray. I’d like to see a green and gold flag with the coat of arms on it.
I always liked Jerry Seinfeld’s comment about the Australian Flag – ahh Britain at night !
Haha I remember the sketch well. Leave the flag alone, Ray! Until we move to a republic, which frankly there is no immediate need to, we should just leave things as they are…
Well Ray, growing up & moving on does not have to include forgetting where you came from and we are still part of the Commonwealth so not everyone will agree with your objections.
Next time we go to the polls with a referendum on becoming a republic, I say we add a question on whether we should change the flag too because that way Everyone gets to cast their vote.
I agree with Ray on the flag. It doesn’t and hasn’t ever really represented who we are. People say we fought and died under the flag and thats not quite true. We fought under the British ensign until WW2. Our flag only stands out to us because it’s ours but if you take a flick thru some flags of the world you will see there are about 15 others that look pretty much the same including our nearest and dearest Kiwi friends. Do i support change for change sake, No but I am prepared to listen and be involved in an open minded and honest debate.