History of the Australian Flag

Many Australians think that the flag we have has been the same since 1901.

While the flag has undergone several physical changes, it has had many changes with regard to usage.

People are surprised when they find out that the Blue Flag that everyone is so familiar with only came into vogue in the second half of the 20th century.

It was the Red flag that was the predominant flag used by the public and defence forces, while the Blue Flag was reserved for the use of the Commonwealth Government.

Another common misconception is that the first flag had the 7 point star to represent the 6 Founding States and Territories. This was a 'spin' applied several years after the first flag.

It surprises, shock and makes some people quite angry when they find out that the 7th point was added when Australia took control of the Territory of Papua in 1908, and the usage of the Blue flag by the public is relatively new.

There have been many adjustments with usage. In some ways it is disturbing in the way it has been used for political reasons.

There can be now doubt that prior to WW2 the Blue Ensign was reserved for the Commonwealth buildings and establishments, and the Red Ensign was available to the public generally

A memo from the Prime Minister of Australia's Department dated 6 March 1939 stated: "the Red Ensign is the flag to be flown by the public generally" and the federal government policy was "The flying of the Commonwealth Blue Ensign is reserved for Commonwealth Government use but there is no reservation in the case of the Commonwealth Merchant Flag, or Red Ensign".

 

But a decade later, again with Robert Menzies as PM, there was an abrupt flip. The Flags Act 1953 now declared that the Blue Ensign was to now be the national flag and the Red Ensign the flag of the Australian merchant marine.

This status was formalised on 14 February 1954, when Queen Elizabeth II gave Royal Assent to the Flags Act 1953, which had been passed two months earlier. The monarch's Assent was timed to coincide with the Queen's visit to the country and came after she had opened the new session of Parliament.

So why the abrupt flip? Did politics play a part? The Cold War that had started in 1947 was starting to escalate. PM Menzies was pursuing a strong anti-communist agenda and the predominately red flag carried too many communist overtones.

Another point to consider is that red is the colour of the Australian Labor Party. Menzies founded the Liberal Party in 1944, with the Liberal Party's being blue. Is there an avantage in having the national flag the same as the party colour?

 

Union Jack

It took some time before it was adopted especially as Australians were still technically British until the passing of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948.

Until 1949 there was no such thing as an Australian citizen. Before that, anyone born or naturalised (made a citizen) in Australia was a British subject. People travelling overseas were issued with British passports. This is because at the time of Federation, and until at least the Second World War, most Australians identified themselves as British.

The Union Jack was still regarded as the National flag by many Australians well into the 1970s.

The Australian Defence Force

The Australian Army was formed as the Commonwealth Military Forces in 1901. In 1908, the Australian Army replaced the Union Jack with the blue Australian flag

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was formed on 5 October 1911. The RAN flew the British Royal Navy ensign until 1967.

The Royal Australian Air Force was formed on 31st March 1921. Prior to that, the Australian Flying Corps had been formed in October 1912 and fought in WW1. They RAAF flew the British Royal Air Force ensign until 1948.