Friday, August 22, 2008

Long To Reign Over Us

In other Olympic related comment, in today's Age some bloke called Barry Everingham has called for a new Strayan flag.

I accept his offer:



I'm obviously not a designer, but there's method in my visual spasticity.

1. The blue is the same as the blue of the current flag.
2. The blue is to represent the ocean surrounding our country, as well as the night sky.
3. Green and gold are more identifiable with Australia.
4. The green beside the blue represents our green cities and forests along our coastline.
5. Green represents our respect for the environment.
6. Gold is the desert in the centre of our country.
7. Gold also represents our warm inner hearts, and our wealth and riches.
8. It is simple for kids in primary school to draw with crayons, unlike our current flag and many of the proposed new designs of our flag.
9. All the best flags around the world are the most basic. It shouldn't be designed by a graphic designer otherwise it becomes too messy and 'fashionable' only for the time it was created.

Or something.

Maybe the whole thing could rotate 90 degrees, and maybe colours could be of equal width or something.

I even toyed with circular green and gold to make it look more like an island in a sea of blue, but it looked like a target.

I think it's terrific, but if they get rid of the monarchy I'll spew. I'm all happy for a flag change, but I'm also happy for the monarchy to stay as it is. The day we cheer a bureaucratic President is the day we've lost our Australian-ness. Better to have a state leader who lives in another country breeding corgis that we can whinge about, than have some Dick Smith-like character replacing her.

Insert abuse in the comments section.

UPDATE

I've darkened the blue to make it more like the original flag, and made the golden centre more like the one from the Aboriginal flag, as per Louche's suggestion that we should acknowledge their heritage.

Conceptually it;s the same, but this one's a bit prettier I reckon.

30 comments:

catlick said...

Perseus, I think you've nailed it.

Anonymous said...

I am so sick of green and gold. Those colours just don't belong together.

The day we cheer a beauracratic President is the day we've lost our Australian-ness.

It's Australian now to be lorded over by a lazy inbred British toff?

Perseus said...

It's Australian now to be lorded over by a lazy inbred British toff?

Yes. It is. It's that Australian Irony thing going on. So we can complain about her. Better to complain about the Queen, than cheer a public servant.

Mad Cat Lady said...

I reckon we should appropriate Harry and make him King of Australia instead. Bugger this one Queen fits all thing. I want my own royalty.

catlick said...

Is that "Harry the alleged bastard"? How appropriate!

Anonymous said...

That's a pretty specious argument, PQ.

If you're trying to say that Australians would only be happy with a head of state we could whinge about, politicians fit the bill nicely. Most people already whinge about them.

Or, if you really really like a consitutional monarchy, why not select some hapless Aussie and declare that only their blessed bloodline shall grace our coins? Why stick with the Windsor krauts?

Louche said...

What about the Abordiginals?

Perseus said...

Because they are Windsor Krauts, that's why.

My point is that I don't think anybody is good enough to hold the ceremonial rank of Head of State. So you may as well give it to offshore Windsor Krauts. To presume any one of us is better than the other 21,000,000 of us is specious in itself.

I don't want to applaud a bureaucrat. I like the fact we vote for the politician we hate the least.

Perseus said...

What about them, Louche?

I'm sure they'd appreciate a flag change.

Anonymous said...

That's really, really weak, Perseus. "No one's good enough, so let's leave it as it is." The point of a directly elected president is that, while not an intrinsically better person than anyone else, at least Australian citizens could say, "the majority of us chose that person, and no other."

How about this? We make the Australian Head of State an electable position with no nationality restiction, then put the inbred royals up for nomination. That way, if Australians really want Queen Lizzie as head of state then they get to choose.

Louche said...

Most flag designs have attempted to acknowledge the Aboriginal flag or represent their heritage in some way.

I give you points for uniqueness though.

Only Rwanda and Gabon have similar flags, neither of which we are likely to face in a rugby match any time soon.

Perseus said...

Yeah, but then your average Sino-Australian wouldn't give two hoots about the Aboriginal heritage. I thought about it too, but I reckon a bland flag that can mean everything and/or nothing to everybody is the best compromise. Mine might not be pretty, but it doesn't offend or alienate anybody.

Maybe the gold in the middle could be the circular 'sun' of the Aboriginal flag.

wari lasi said...

To presume any one of us is better than the other 21,000,000 of us is specious in itself.

No it isn't Perseus, it's a reality. In fact that statement is actually specious.

Some pigs really are more equal than others.

Someone has to lead, and of course it should be a stakeholder.

wari lasi said...

It is absolutely abhorrent for the flag to indicate any race. I like your flag, at least it's inclusive.

How much of the flag should have the aboriginal stuff on it? 5%, 10%? Peter Garrett would say we should actually adopt the aboriginal flag in its entirety. There is a greater % of the population of Greek origin, should we include that too? It wouold just never end.

Stubbadub said...

What's wrong with the Boxing Kangaroo? Goddam elitist snobs!

Stubbadub said...

And Perseus, please don't quit your day job, I can't decide which is colour combination is more more hideous.

catlick said...

Perseus I liked the first one. It had a clean Ikea sensibility about it.
I re-"searched" the colours.
Green can symbolize the Earth, agriculture, fertility, and/or the Muslim religion.
Yellow often represents the sun, wealth, and/or justice.
Blue often represents freedom, vigilance, perseverance, justice, prosperity, peace, and/or patriotism.
Got it covered bro.

squib said...

Can we keep the stripes but add a skull and crossbone? I think a piratey flag would be nice

with love hearts on it

Mr E said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ramon Insertnamehere said...

I like the cut of your gib Perseus (whatever that may mean), but can we add a hammer and sickle in the top left-hand corner?

Fad MD said...

I am so sick of green and gold. Those colours just don't belong together.

Isn't the saying "Blue and green should never be seen without another in between"?

I reckon the Brazilian flag is cool, but a prick for the kiddies to draw. The ones Perseus has done seem a little too "African Nation changing it's name every 5 years" for me.

Fad MD said...

Only Rwanda and Gabon have similar flags,

Aha... see I was right.

Perseus said...

Maybe a boomerang in the middle instead of a circle?

Puss In Boots said...

I like the cut of your gib Perseus (whatever that may mean)

Isn't that a sailing term?

wari lasi said...

Correct Puss.

And it's jib

shitbmxrider said...

A boomerang in the middle?



no no no no no...christ almighty.


And those colours are horrd together, as is the aboriginal-style version...

Id be happy to leave it as is, its not like it means anything, so why spend money fucking with it...

patchouligirl said...

I'm still partial to the southern cross against the dark blue.

squib said...

Is there any flag rule that says you can't use magenta?

Mr E said...

Green can symbolize the Earth, agriculture, fertility, and/or the Muslim religion.
Yellow often represents the sun, wealth, and/or justice.
Blue often represents freedom, vigilance, perseverance, justice, prosperity, peace, and/or patriotism.


An alternative interpretation could be Envy, Cowardice, Sadness.

John said...

some horizontal bars and I reckon you've got yourself a goatse!