A new Australian national flag has been proposed to replace the country’s current blue flag with the Union Jack and six stars.
According to Telegraph, it is part of an effort to “move on” from the country’s British heritage.
Designed by John Blaxland—a military historian from the Australian National University—he said that he hopes the flag is able to capture all aspects of the country’s history—including its Aboriginal heritage, colonial past and multiculturism.
“People can identify with various parts of it and see that Australia is actually a multicultural place with a rich history that reaches back for generations,” said Blaxland.
The proposed flag features elements of the country’s Aboriginal heritage—it has 250 dots shaped in a seven-pointed star to represent Australia’s indigenous languages and the native tongues of Australia’s immigrants.
Next to the star is a boomerang-shaped red section bordered by a white stripe—creating an “echo” of the Union Jack.
Blaxland added, “We can move on, we can reflect on our history but also acknowledge in the design…that we can’t completely trash the British heritage.”
“I get the significance of the current flag, I get the significance of the Union Jack. I also get that a lot of people don’t like it. I think we need to find a compromise, something that is going to be inclusive and appeals to all Australians.”
What do you think of Blaxland’s proposed flag design?
[via Telegraph and Sky News]