Ray Martin defends flag debate
Ray Martin has defended a 60 Minutes debate he has hosted on the question of changing the flag, timed to run this Sunday -ANZAC Day.
- Published by David Knox
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Here we go again.
Ray Martin has defended a 60 Minutes debate he has hosted on the question of changing the flag, amid criticism it is poorly timed to run this Sunday -ANZAC Day.
John Vaughan, who represents the Australian National Flag Association, said he was upset at its “inappropriate” timing. In an article in North Shore Times, he accused Martin and 60 Minutes producers of assembling a group of notable anti-Australian flag speakers for the debate.
He took the opportunity to put forward his case on the question of the flag itself, saying, “Thousands of Australians have fought for the freedom that we enjoy under this flag. Thousands of sporting stars have won medals as it was proudly flown and many dinky-di Aussies are immensely proud of our national flag.
“The Union Jack is but one element, acknowledging the historical fact that our system of parliamentary government and the rule of law are derived from our colonial heritage. Another element of the Southern Cross is highly significant in Aboriginal mythology.”
Martin said he had attended a service every Anzac Day for 30 years and had a right to have an opinion.
“Clearly, the national flag is the most powerful symbol of a country’s brand, but there has been great confusion between identifying the Australian, New Zealand and UK flags. Hold up the New Zealand flag – you can’t tell the difference. Australians have fought under a whole range of flags – and the heavens didn’t fall when the Canadians changed their flag.”
But the question could indeed be one of timing if more parties condemn Nine for programming the episode for ANZAC Day. Presumably, the network fully intends to capitalise on such division.
ANZAC Day remains a day that generates passion, with annual debates about what should and shouldn’t open, whether we should have a public holiday, whether kids should march with Diggers, and the legalities of Two-Up. Generational division surrounding the day was also the setting for a classic 1970s Aussie play The One Day of the Year by Alan Seymour, which itself became the wonderful Nine sitcom The Last of the Australians.
We were arguing then. We’ll be arguing still. It’s kinda what we do.
Source: North Shore Times
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- Tagged with 60 Minutes, The Last of the Australians
61 Responses
Ray Martin wants to debate the Australian flag. That’s it, burn him at the stake!
Personally I don’t think the flagged should be changed but my main problem is that Ray is hosting it – clearly he’s not the most objective person for it as others have mentioned.
I don’t have to say whether I agree or disagree, but is it not a testament to the people that had the honour of representing Australia under the Australian flag that such a debate can be shown on television. Most crucially, as the article mentions, people didn’t fight for the flag, they fought under the flag for what it represents regardless of what is was, and that’s still a notion that is upheld by the army today within its ethos.
Whether you’re pro, anti, or indifferent to the current flag, for me the issue seems to be the timing of the program – ANZAC Day. I can’t help thinking there’s a deliberately provocative motive in that. I’m all for debate and freedom of speech, but there’s a time and a place.
Appalling, appalling, appalling.
Go away Ray Martin. No one wants to listen to you anymore.
Think of all the soldiers, army, navy, nurses etc that fought under that flag.
Total disrespect!
Its time we changed You. Now run along and retire yourself and hairpiece!
People seem to only like the flag because it Is the Australian flag. They would quickly embrace a flag that didn’t contain the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Hasn’t every poll ever conducted about this issue shown that the overwhelmingly majority of Australians don’t want the flag changed?
Ray is starting to come off as annoying and whiny.
The Australian Flag Association? ROTFL! Some people really do have too much time on their hands. It’s sad that people would invest so much energy in a debate over the colouring of a piece of cloth. Human beings can be so silly. The argument regarding those who have “fought under this flag” is particularly ridiculous. As my grandfather used to say, he didn’t fight for no flag, he fought to stay alive after being placed in a life threatening situation against his will. The fact that we are even having this debate is yet another sad sign of the increasing patriotism in this country – and anything more than mild patriotism is pointless mob lunacy that never helps anyone.
Yawn, “anti-australian flag”? Seriously, i don’t know that too many people are morally opposed to having an australian flag it’s about what’s on the flag. And Flag Association fella needs to get off his high horse, changing the flag has nothing to do with hating people who have served this country at war so who cares about the timing?
Since this is a tv blog, i’ll restate my earlier *yawn* and say that these types of conversations (e.g. republican debate, multiculturalism) all end up pandering to the lowest common denominator and are more suited to talkback radio. Leave the tv channels free for those of us who would like to let soap operas rot our brains 🙂
I’m also all for changing the flag to represent us better. Having something like the kangaroo and emu that is currently on the 50c piece would be perfect and only then will we be able to stand united as one.
Debating doesn’t mean bad mouthing those with different opinions, what ever side you are on !
change it- get rid of the union jack!!
I’m pleased that this issue is finally being debated. As ever the forelock-tugging monarchists are already coming out with their shrill denunciations, implying that anyone who supports removing the flag of a foreign country from our flag hates Australia and/or the Anzacs, so good on Nine for not being cowed.
i liked you Ray untill you started on about changing the flag but now i have lost a hell of a lot of respect for you and i am damm sure i am not the only leave the flag alone
lol @ flag association. wonder what their day to day activities are?
Is Ray Martin still relevant?
Take your hair and just go away already.
Everyone has a right to put forward their opinion, whether you are for it or against it. Just because you don’t agree with Ray doesn’t mean he should keep quiet.
Far out! This guy just doesn’t quit does he!? No one should tamper with the flag that represents our country’s past, present and future.
Leave the flag alone!
Ray Martin ignited this debate on Australia Day and now he has done it again…it’s getting very boring. Would he just retire completely and stop using this as an excuse to get publicity.
If someone (Ray Martin) can’t tell the difference between Australia, NZ and especially the UK flag, it only tells one thing and that is ignorance.
Its inappropriate for such a person with blatant bias to host what is a heavily stacked debate against keeping the national flag. As well as being on ANZAC Day i wouldn’t have watched it anyway.
And by the way, our flag isn’t “Britain by night” as put by “the show about nothing” Jerry S*******.
Just hurry up and change the flag already. As an Aussie on holidays, it seems almost cute that we still carry the motherlands flag as our symbol. Grow up Australia, and hopefully we can drop the tall poppy syndrome at the same time.
What a country that this issue is constantly raised. We have a flag, live with it!!
Hopefully the debate isn’t filled with your standard “talkback radio audience” which seems to stifle any actual debate in this country on many issues.
Removing the Union Jack and having a large Federation Star on the left and the Southern Cross on the right isn’t that difficult; maybe even changing the colours to green and gold, heaps of options to play with, all reasonably aesthetically pleasing.
I am an advocate of change and will be watching the debate on Anzac Day. Hopefully it will remove a lot of the myths about the current flag. I am not in favour of transferring the Indigenous flag to where the Union Jack is. The red, black and yellow doesnt represent all indiginous people of this land either.
Now before anyone comes out swinging at me there is one fact I would like to share. We have only fought under the current flag officially once. That was Vietnam every other war or peace keeping mission has been under either the Birtish flag or that of the United Nations.
Just because i am pro change does not mean I am anti anti Australian or unpatriotic. I just believe we need one that truely represents us better. I, as always, continue to stand by our flag what ever it may be.
Form reading your article David, it sounds as if the debate if flawed before it has even aired. How can you have someone who has a clear, publicly announced, biased towards changing the flag, host the debate.
Sounds too suss to me.