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“Put Ray on the Flag!”

Today Ray Martin reckons the Union Jack should disappear off our flag. But does he remember an old episode of Fast Forward?

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Many years ago an episode of Fast Forward had a sketch with Marg Downey hosting an audience forum, dressed up in her comedy impersonation of Jana Wendt.

The audience forum was on the subject of changing the Australian flag.

Two old dears in the audience (none other than Magda Szubanski and Jane Turner) agreed the flag should change.

“Put Ray! Put Ray on the Flag!” they yelled.

It’s hard not to remember that moment today as Ray is quoted in the Herald Sun as calling for the Union Jack to disappear.

“I object to having the British flag in the corner of our flag,” he said.

“We have well and truly reached the point where we should have our own flag. I think we have to grow up and move on to the next stage.”

In keeping with Fast Forward‘s approach, perhaps we should now start a push to replace the Union Jack with Ray himself?

“Put Ray! Put Ray on the Flag!”

Source: Herald Sun

35 Responses

  1. I don’t mind Ray having his opinion its what our country is all about and for a change it seems the majority is speaking their minds, so its obvious Aussies are very passionate about this issue.
    I’m glad we changed the national anthem, singing a song about the saving our gracious queen is so lame its ridiculous. But to change our flag is another matter.
    Lets show the respect deserved to generations of Aussies who have shown pride and courage serving our country under a flag most Aussies love and let the issue finally rest in peace, as by the way many Ausies have done serving under our flag.

  2. It seems for true fairness we should have all the nations living here represented on the Aus flag. What garbage!!!! I can’t believe a majority of us want to change ,even Indigenous Aussies , Probably the Irish . it’s a waste of $$$ how many Referendums have got a tick only one, out of 40 odd.
    The Flag is the Flag, let it be . Ray you have done quite well under the British system, get a life. Get over it , that goes for all of you . My wife is a Kiwi & she loves us & our Flag..

    Barrow pushers aren’t open minded.

    Proud Aussie Aussie Aussie Aussie OI OI OI

  3. Mooloolah, what a great name. My great great grandmother was a koori woman. She was a member of the Kamilaroi nation, which lived in northern NSW and into southern Queensland. Her name was Bertha, she married my white fella great great grandfather (on my mother’s side) and she lived to a ripe old age. She tragically died in a cooking fire when her dress caught on fire. I don’t know anything else about Bertha but I intend to try and find out more. I have mostly Irish ancestors, but I’m very proud of my Aboriginal connection. Thanks you for asking.
    This is an excerpt from part of a forum at a Sunshine Coast school,Ray Martin talking about his aboriginal heritage,I personally would find the man to be a little more creditable if he openly embraced the fact and perhaps any connection to a push from within “other” and sometimes more divisive protagonists.
    I still find it amazing that most people I know are unaware that some one of such a high profile is of a part Aboriginal background and seems to only embrace it when it suits him.

  4. To those who say Canada dropped their union flag, well actually until 1965 Canada never had an official national flag, so the maple leaf flag was introduced as their first national flag. To add to that, their union flag is still an official flag of Canada, and is
    flown and used still to represent their membership in the commonwealth.

    Our flag is drenched in history and I think if it were replaced it would be an insult to all those who fought under it.

  5. @ Paull, thanks for that. I vaguely remembered.

    On the multicultural issue, I’m yet to encounter a sizable group of people or read any factual evidence that suggest that non-Anglo or non-white people don’t like the flag or the commonwealth. I think most people assume it’s a given, but it’s something I really question.

  6. Imagine the dreadful nsw government we’ve had for the past 15 years and Think of it on a national scale. That’s what Australia would look like if we Turned republican.

  8. Name changes come easy to some people! but those people who have secure family backgrounds do not believe in change for change sake, especially when the cost of changing the flag would be better spent on health and education.Just imagine the hoo-haa this would cause before everyone came to an agreement on the design
    Margaret

  9. Im not a massive fan of Ray but its great he’s spoken out on an issue thats close to the hearts of many Aussies who’ve become disillusioned and sick of our current flag. I’ve never been comfortable with our flag and its total lack of recognition of the first Australians, people who have lived on this land for >40000 years. The Union Jack on our flag is an insult to these people and represents nothing to Australian people of non-Brish backgrounds. Its time we had a flag we all could be proud of, one we can all relate to. I say ditch the Union Jack and bring our flag into the 21st century.

  10. We do not need another flag to move forward into the 20th century let us have somethink left of our heritage all you wont is to keep taken away our histroy and leave us with a mess and our younger generation left woundering what and who are we.

    The Royal Family is more Australian with releiatives born here so who are you to say we should not be happy when Prince William come here or other members of the Royal Family because what you see is what you get that is why we love them and they should stay. Monarchist Rule.

    Its bad enough having our own vegemite changed to suit others give us a break.

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