The Australian National Flag Association (ANFA) was inaugurated at a public meeting held in Sydney on 5 October 1983 to oppose suggestions that the existing
Australian National Flag
The flag of Australia, also known as the Australian Blue Ensign, is based on the British Blue Ensign—a blue field with the Union Jack in the upper hoist quarter—augmented with a large white seven-pointed star (the Commonwealth Star) and a r ...
is not appropriately representative of the nation, and should be changed, with Sir Colin Hines elected as founding president of the New South Wales branch.
Structure
There are also autonomous, state-based incorporated associations still operating as ANFA chapters in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. There have been informal meetings between the various state presidents where a national spokesperson for the five separate organisations is appointed.
In 2013 an Australian Flag Association was formed, with ANFA Queensland President Allan Pidgeon AM as chair.
New South Wales
According to their official website ANFA NSW is a non-political, non-sectarian voluntary community service organisation. The controlling Council of Management is elected at each Annual General Meeting, operating under a government approved constitution. The stated aims and objectives are:
* To communicate positively to all Australians the importance and significance of our chief national symbol - the Australian National Flag.
* To provide promotional and educational material concerning the Australian National Flag.
* To promote the Australian identity overseas by the use of the Australian National Flag.
* To support existing "fly the flag" programmes and encourage support from recognised service organisations.
* To encourage personal identity with the Australian National Flag at all levels within the community.
Amongst other activities ANFA NSW has successfully proposed that 3 September be proclaimed as
Australian National Flag Day and holds annual commemorations along with other state branches. ANFA NSW produced a video "Our National Flag … since 1901" which tells the story of the flag. This was presented to every Australian school as part of the 'Discovering Democracy' programme.
Queensland
In 2017 ANFA QLD announced a search for the very first Australian flag, which has been lost since it flew on 3 September 1901 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne.
Western Australia
In 1999 ANFA WA erected a memorial on the grave of Mrs Annie Dorrington, who along with four others shared and the prize money in the
1901 Federal Flag Design Competition
The 1901 Federal Flag Design Competition was an Australian government initiative announced by Prime Minister Edmund Barton to find a flag for the newly federated Commonwealth of Australia. In terms of its essential elements the winning entries ar ...
, with other ANFA state branches contributing towards the costs.
Australian Capital Territory
The most recent ANFA branch was incorporated in the
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory (commonly abbreviated as ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a landlocked federal territory of Australia containing the national capital Canberra and some surrounding townships. I ...
on 4 July 2001. However, on 15 July 2003, affiliation with ANFA was severed, and the organisation
rebranded
Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investors ...
as the
Australian Flag Society. In an interview with the ''Canberra Times'' the ANFA ACT spokesperson Nigel Morris was quoted as saying: "I don't have much hope for the future of ANFA the average age of the members is about eighty."
[Centenera, Jeff, "Colours lowered as ACT's flag group ordered to disband", ''The Canberra Times'', 4 November 2002.]
See also
*
Ausflag
Ausflag is an organisation that was established to promote a new flag of Australia.
Ausflag was formed in 1981 by Harold Scruby who has since worked to foster debate on the design of the flag. Prominent Australians that have been involved in th ...
*
Australian flag debate
The Australian flag debate is a periodic question over whether the Australian flag should be changed, particularly to remove the Union Jack from the canton, but also to possibly introduce a completely new design without the Southern Cross. A ...
*
Australian Republic Movement
The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is a non-party-partisan organisation campaigning for Australia to become a republic. ARM and its supporters have promoted various models of a republic including parliamentary republic and it is, again, revi ...
References
External links
Australian National Flag Association- official website.
Australian National Flag Association of Queensland- official website.
Australian Flag Society- official website.
{{Authority control
Flags of Australia
Political organisations based in Australia
Vexillological organizations
Organizations established in 1983
1983 establishments in Australia