As Australia Day approaches, I’d like to take this opportunity to celebrate the symbol of our shared land and history that is the Australian Flag.
Our flag, based on the British Blue Ensign and showcasing the Union Jack, Commonwealth Star, and Southern Cross, has for many years been a symbol intended to represent every Australian, whether they be of European, Indigenous, or any other heritage.
As Tony Abbot has said, Australia is a young nation with an “immigrant character.” Our flag is intended to encapsulate that character and represent us all.
However, since 1995, the Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag have been flown as official flags of Australia. This was largely done as a gesture of “reconciliation” between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and has arguably fostered a sense of division rather than unity.
This seems inevitable, as having multiple official flags implies multiple nations, rather than the fact that we are all Australians. Indeed, the term “First Nations” suggests that Indigenous Australians belong to a separate nation, which I suspect contributed to the defeat of the Voice to Parliament proposal at the recent referendum.
Now, many local councils fly a vast range of flags, even related to one’s sexual preferences, further breaking us down into increasingly obscure identity groups.
Every Australia Day, the inevitable debate about celebrating Australia Day and the Australian Flag reoccurs, largely because the media amplifies the voice of a relatively small group of activists. So, I’ve taken the opportunity to create a video discussing our flag as a symbol of unity, and how absurd the division has become.
As we head into Australia Day, my hope is that we can all celebrate the blessings of living in Australia, whatever our heritage may be.
Your sincerely,
Alex Antic
Liberal Senator for South Australia"
