ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

I found this a couple of days ago, I don't remember ever posting it and in fact I had forgotten I even wrote it! It was when Ray Martin was advocating replacing the union Jack with the Aboriginal flag on the Australian flag.

Our Flag

© Ross Magnay 31/1/10

So tell me Mister Martin; in your quest to change our flag,
what motivates this anti Aussie thought?
To remove the Aussie icon that records our history’s path,
the banner under which the ANZACs fought.

The claim that we should cut our bonds with where we started from,
just simply doesn’t wash at all with me,
this flag displays the story of the battles we have fought,
and why all present Aussies can be free.

So please tell me Mister Martin; just suppose you get your way,
what emblem would replace our present flag?
It wouldn’t have a history or represent our past,
so we’d really only get a piece of rag.

But I’ve gleaned from past suggestions your intentions aren’t so pure,
your emblem would be racist; don’t you see?
A blight upon the memory of the many lives now lost,
So Aussies black and white can still be free.

So I’ll tell you Mister Martin; in your quest to change our flag,
just think of all that’s come and gone before,
the way we and our allies fought to keep invaders out,
so our flag can fly in peace upon our shore!

Couldn't agree more Ross

Just look at what those early Aussies have left us through their sacrifice.

There's lots of people trying to get here to share that bounty,
but I don't see many of them rushing to get out again.

Cheers Mate

Terry

The supposed case for changing the flag has no merit, because a national flag is never intended to be a subjective statement of tribal identity politics, it
should be an objective symbol for national foundations.

And further......Ray Martin is one of those people who I pass by with a yawn and barely a glance. He has nothing much to say of any substance.

Thanks Terry and Neville, while I have no strong feelings one way or another about Monarchy versus Republic, I still fail to see why we would contemplate changing our national banner. A lot of suggestions have been made to include the aboriginal flag in a new banner for Australia, while that seems all warm and fuzzy to the PC brigade, even Harold Thomas, the bloke who designed it back in the seventies apparently is against that. I am completely with you about Ray Martin Neville, it never ceases to amaze me how so called celebrities think they have so much more right to an opinion than the rest of us....he's only a news reporter anyway, not a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist!

I have a bit more time on my hands at the moment, it is good to be back chatting again!

Ross

I totally agree with you too, Ross. I know it's an ongoing debate for many, but personally, in both Australia and NZ I wish people would just leave our history and traditions alone! In this respect your two lines below say it all for me:

The claim that we should cut our bonds with where we started from just simply doesn’t wash at all with me