Informed debate needed on flag

After celebrating another Australia Day, Ray Martin has correctly raised the question again of the suitability of our current flag.

According to current polls apparently, more people support it than not.

I wonder if the supporters have really thought carefully about how our current flag came to be.

Do they know for instance that according to the Ausflag website, it has only been our official flag since Prime Minister Robert Menzies declared it so in 1953?

I am older than the official flag and I'm still not a senior yet.

This declaration was made well after both world wars had ended.

Australians have never been given a chance to say whether or not we want another nations flag stuck in the corner.

Extreme violence against Aboriginals and convicts was carried out under the Union Jack in colonial days so why should this be our symbol?

Kevin Rudd needs to do more than say sorry.

He needs to have an informed debate on our current flag and find one that truly represents our nation.

Only then will I be proud to fly the flag.

Email, 26 Jan 2010 David McDougall, Woy Woy