When I argued in the nineties that the Flag be entrenched in the Constitution, the republican response was that no constitution does this. The republican movement was then quite open about this part of their agenda.
So I pointed to France as an example of a country whose constitution does precisely this. I preferred not to rely on the so called Soviet Constitution which also did this before that evil empire collapsed.
I was surprised when Kim Beazley, as a minister speaking on behalf of the Keating government, announced they would be changing the Flag before the Centenary of Federation. This would be done by Parliament; the people would not vote on this.
The Hawke government had done this on the National Anthem, but they could point to the results of the poll on a National Song held by the Fraser government.
But the Hawke government did ensure that God Save The Queen would be proclaimed as the Royal Anthem. And by the way, it was not to be restricted to those occasions when The Queen or a member of the Royal Family were present. It could continue to be played , as it always has been, as an integral part of the Anzac Dawn service.
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…why are they so dishonest?..
That is until the creeping republicans banned the Royal Anthem on the spurious grounds that the young did not know the words. If they didn’t, would they have also memorised the great hymns traditionally sung at this service?
Why are republicans so duplicitous? Can't they just say what they are doing? It was the same when they moved a painting of The Queen from the public foyer of Parliament House in Sydney.
The republican politicians said it was being damaged….by the sun!
…the Flag and the Constitution…
The Flag Act, 1953 was amended in 1998 by a bill introduced by the Howard government. Under this, the Australian National Flag can only be changed after a poll in which a majority of the electors voting choose a new flag.
Having seen the trickery used by the Keating government over change to a politicians’ republic, the existing flag would have to be included in the choice.This requirement for a vote could of course be repealed by Parliament.
In 2003, in Twilight of the Elites, I proposed ten measures to restore the Federation. One of these was to entrench the flag into the Constitution so that it could only be changed after a referendum.
The Australian Flag Society has just proposed a referendum to declare English to be the national language, and to entrench in the Constitution both Australia Day and the Australian National Flag.
The text of the proposed bill follows. This is included in an essay by Nigel Morris on the Australian Conservative site.
….the proposed bill…
To approve the changes to the Constitution proposed in the Constitution Amendment (National Language, Holiday and Flag) Constitutional Amendment Bill, to declare English to be the national language, 26 January in each year to be Australia Day and a certain flag to be the Australian National Flag.
Constitution Amendment (National Language, Holiday and Flag) Constitutional Amendment Bill, 2009
An Act to amend the Constitution to declare English to be the national language, 26 January in each year to be Australia Day and a certain flag to be the Australian National Flag.
1. The short title of this Act is the National Language, Holiday and Flag Act, 2009.
2. The Constitution is amended by the insertion of section 127, 127A and 127B as set out below:
Section 127 – Status of English Language English is the national language of Australia
Section 127A – National Holiday
26 January in each year shall be Australia Day, being the anniversary of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.
Section 127B – Australian National Flag
A blue flag with the Union Jack occupying the upper hoist, a large white Commonwealth Star in the centre of the lower hoist and 5 white stars representing the Southern Cross constellation in the fly half.
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