Did you know that the Australian flag was a product of a design competition? In fact, this flag is a fusion of three different flags or major designs.
In the year 1901, the new Commonwealth Government of Australia held a worldwide competition to determine the official federal flag of this country. About 32, 000 entries flooded the competition. These entries were judged based on seven criteria, namely loyalty to the Empire, history, Federation, heraldry, utility, distinctiveness and cost of production.
Design and symbols
In general, the design is composed of three major symbols: the Commonwealth Star, the Southern Cross and the Union Flag/Union Jack or the official flag of the United Kingdom. The Commonwealth Star is the seven-pointed star that stands for the Federation of Australia. While the six points of the Star represent the six original states of this country, the seventh one symbolizes its territories and any future states.
The Southern Cross, also known as the Crux, is the most visible or distinctive constellation in the Southern Hemisphere. While it’s a major symbol on the Australia flag, it has been a representation of Australia and New Zealand since the early years of British occupation. One of the flag designers, Ivor Evans, actually meant the Southern Cross to signify the four moral virtues that the Italian poet Dante Alighieri attributed to the four main stars. These virtues are prudence, fortitude, temperance and justice.
Criticism
While the winning design of the flag received much recognition, there were also some people who criticized its resemblance to the flag of Britain/United Kingdom. Critics even said that it had no artistic virtue or national significance. They pointed out that this design signified the total submission of Australia to Britain, its lack of power to protest and voice its opinion.
From Act to Law
Nevertheless, the winning design went on to become the official flag of Australia. The Flags Act 1953, an act that described the colors and other details of the official flag, was enacted into law on February 14, 1954. It was Elizabeth II herself who personally gave her Royal Assent to this law.