Were you. Given the varied views our "Joe on the street" govt and opposition politicians have and how these varied views affect other countries I think how the general populace in other countries views us is reflected in their govt's even if some wiser heads exist as well. Many other business and leisure choices are made by the general populace as well that affect us.

Or maybe you could sit on one.

And desecrate your flag...never...wouldn't take too much to convert our bogans into a local chav would it ?

the present reality is that Australia looks up more to America than Britain in so many ways.

bit hard to measure really...would have thought many countries are admired with uk, usa both being near the top in different respects.

Gosh, I agree.

when I look at the Australian flag, I look at it in its totality, not its individual parts.

Australia does not look up to Britain as an economic or military superpower in a practical sense. It looks up to Britain as a historical motherland in sentimental/ceremonial sense. I suspect Australia is more practically concerned with what's happening in China/Asia-Pacific than in Britain.

Sure, though Australians look to many countries for all sorts of things. The fact that we are very culturally similar to the uk means that it is on the list of main countries we cross check thousands of decisions with as they do against ours (and Canada's, USA, Ireland, Kiwi's, continental europe etc depending on the context) for all sorts of things.

Granted there are some aspects of british culture we have shed and some more we should shed (excess drinking culture though arguably not imported) but conversely there are many great things we still share.

Australian culture is western culture shared by many anglophile countries not just Britain.

Yes, sure...there are no absolutes. There is a significant chunk of similarity and relationship with britain. Doesn't mean there aren't many other influences and of course much that originates here.

many of my family members have proudly served (and died) under our flag

That looks shite. Union Jack looks much better

aesthetically speaking yes it looks like a hell of a mess.

I deferred joining with this debate in the past. However, this changed after reading about William Newton. William Newton was a kind and generous man from Victoria. He served with the RAAF in World War 2 and was awarded the VC, this countrys highest award. He was captured by the Japanese and was ordered for their amusement to dance on the Australian flag. He refused and was executed by beheading with a sword. His last words to the Japanese were "one stroke", told them to kill him with one stroke only. This whole sad saga was recorded by one of the executioners, they cut his stomach as well and push the body into a bomb crater. When I think of the Australia flag I think of people like William Newton.

It may surprise some but it has very little to do with the UK or the queen.
Eventually I believe the current colonial flag will rightly change, mainly because modern warfare has resulted in far fewer combat deaths. Â But not while there are elderly people alive who remember the husbands, wives, brothers, uncles ,aunts who served......and their descendants remember the faded black and white photos and the grief of their mothers and grandmothers. It hinges on one word - Respect.