“bears the stamp of invasion (the Union Jack) which is offensive to many indigenous people;”

is such a minority opinion it is hard to imagine how its proposers thought they belonged to a great political party fighting for the agreement of the electoral centre.

What irritates me (and I am not a party member so it is in some ways impertinent of me to bitch about the party on this level but hey this is the internet) is that the resolution is probably a fine idea, but it is then dipped in ideologically driven and blame focused rationale.

A resolution is a statement of action, not a moral treatise. Yes we should change the flags at state and national level; no it should not be contingent on any belief that a) there was an invasion and b) we should feel bad about it and c) our action should be reflected in booting the Union Jack off the flag.

Me, I believe it was an invasion. And a whole lot of fascinating debate and action should follow from that, which we can discuss elsewhere. But it does not mean surely that the future flag should be inoffensive to ‘many indigenous people”? Who have not been polled according to the democratic principle established in the resolution.

On the level of action required to deal with indigenous suffering, the question of the damn flag is just contemptibly trivial.

God spare us from sanctimonious people.

“On the level of action required to deal with indigenous suffering, the question of the damn flag is just contemptibly trivial.”

- couldn’t have put it better.

No, this will not solve the problems facing Indigenous people. But at some stage, we’ll have to change the flag. Maybe we shouldn’t make it our top priority, but maybe we shouldn’t bow to Colin Barnett’s desperate attempt to wrap himself in the damn thing, either.

God spare us from sanctimonious people.

Right back at you, David.

If you don’t mind, I’m gonna remember you said that if you ever suggest puting some Aboriginal symbol on the flag.

Have you seen the crazy American guy who wanders around Perth and Fremantle promoting his alternative design? It’s not great, but I bought a sticker off him once. Then he added a sprinkling of red dots, and I now give him a wide berth.

Robert, I hope I am not being sanctimonious – I try to be exactly the opposite. I did say we should change the flag; it is an isssue that stands on its own as something that does have to be done fairly soon. I am just soo sick of people who tangle issues up and ruin our chance to act and I’ve done my fair share of meetings where that goes on.

David, I didn’t mean to cause offence, but your last post certainly seemed to have been drafted from atop a high horse. The flag is crap, it needs to go, its offensiveness to Aborigines is one of the reasons, but there are many others. (I’m not sure what you were trying to say about the fact that the Indigenes “have not been polled” — the point is that nobody has!)