Australia Day and the Dangers of Personal Pontification

Photo: Australian Winter Olympian Alisa Camplin honoured in the Australia Day honours

While I am a naturally serious person, it's just as well that I do not take myself too seriously!

In my last story I expressed the concern in the context of Australia Day that the whole thing had become all too nationalistic, that we had lost the capacity poke fun at ourselves as Australians, taking ourselves far too seriously. It seems that I was wrong.

Straight after posting the story I took Helen, eldest, to a beach gathering that marked the start of a day of social activities.

We were driving past Royal Randwick race course when we passed this amazing sight. There were all the girls in their fancy race frocks plus a bloke who had managed to get the Australian flag into a cap, a cape, a top and his pants. I had never seen such a sight, laughed, pointed him out to Helen who also laughed. So we started talking about the flag.

Helen said that most of the boys in her group would be wearing an Australian flag in some way, then added, so will a lot of the girls. I asked her why? She said that it was a fashion statement! How a fashion statement? Well, she said, we are ozzies and it's Australia Day. So some will wear the flag, others hats with corks, others even wife beater tee shirts (?!).

So who says the sense of irreverence is not there!

For the benefit of international readers, I do not know of any country that can treat its flag in so many different ways.

Australian Olympians such as Alisa Camplin (photo) wrap themselves in the flag as a way of demonstrating pride in achievement as Australians. We use the flag and other symbols at sporting events to show support for our team and country. But we can also wear the flag or parts thereof as an irreverent fashion statement. And that is very much the Australian Way.