Members of Team Australia enjoy truth, freedom and the Australian way. And flying the Australian flag, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.
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When asked about what should be done if someone spotted a terrorist flag flying in Australia during an interview with Sydney radio station 2GB, Mr Abbott said while he was unsure of the legalities, “the only flag that should be flying is the Australian national flag”.
Which might leave Premier Campbell Newman waiting to be picked for Team Australia.
“I’m proud to display the Queensland flag on as many occasions as I can,” he said in response to a question about Mr Abbott’s comments.
“I’m a proud Australian, but I’m a proud Queensland Premier. And I am also very happy along with my fellow MPs to regularly hand out Queensland flags to fly out to Queensland schools. So we’ll continue to do that.”
Presumably, all state, territories and indigenous leaders feel the same about their own flags.
And so they should – most came before the Australian flag, which came to be after a federation competition in 1901. Queensland’s state flag came along in 1876, back when it had its own navy performing ahead of its time border protection.
A badge representing the colony was created – the royal crown on the Maltese Cross – and given the London seal of approval.
New South Wales adopted the St George Cross for its badge and it was placed on the flag a couple of months ahead of Queensland’s in 1876. Victoria hoisted its flag in 1877. Unlike those pesky convict-settled states, South Australia decided to create a whole new flag badge, featuring a magpie, at federation, and was flying by 1904.
Tasmania’s red lion was flown in 1875 and Western Australia’s black swan took to the flag pole in 1870, which, if the switch in the swan’s direction is ignored, makes it Australia’s oldest state flag. The Northern Territory adopted its own flag in 1978, when it was also made a self-governing territory and the Australian Capital Territory put up its flag in 1993.
The Australian Aboriginal flag was hoisted on National Aborigines Day in South Australia in 1971.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex pride rainbow flag has been around since 1978, while the Eureka flag has been flying since 1854.
