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Current Issue of Crux Australis: Issue No. 128
The most recent issue of Crux Australis is No. 128 [Volume 31/4] issued for the period October - December 2018.
The contents are:
| Vexillogistics (editorial) | Tony Burton | page 159 |
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| New Zealand's flag is older | ABC News Sydney | page 160 | |
| Ensign red ... | Ralph GC Bartlett | page 161 | |
| ... and flags of gold | Tony Burton | page 162 | |
| A golden flag for Australians? | Ralph Kelly |
page 163 | |
| Flags of the Cloth of Gold | Quiz |
pages 164 - 165 |
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| One leg in front of the other: The Isle of Man's Triskelion - Part 2 | Ralph GC Bartlett | pages 166 - 176 | |
| Talkin' tough over the flag | Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald | pages 177 - 179 | |
| Trump's Crayons | Peter Stubley, The Independent | pages 180 - 182 | |
| Flying the flag | Peter FitzSimons, Sydney Morning Herald | page 183 | |
| The American flags on the moon | Jim Axelrod, CBS News | pages 183 - 184 | |
| Designers' Corner: closing the circle: | |||
| Colorado | Chris Young, FOTW | pages 185 | |
| Commonwealth of Dominica - with parrot | Tony Burton |
pages 186 - 189 |
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| West Indies Federation: making waves | Tony Burton |
pages 190 - 191 |
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| Invictus Games Sydney October 2018 | Ralph Kelly | pages 192 - 193 | |
| Druze in the news | Tony Burton |
pages 194 -203 |
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| Flags Australia Annual Meeting, Newcastle 25 August 2018 | photos by Ralph Kelly and Ralph Bartlett | pages 204 -205 | |
| Vale Peter Markwick | Ralph Kelly | pages 206 -207 | |
| Index: Crux Australis volume 31 | Tony Burton | pages 207 - 208 |
SUMMARY
The two national blue ensigns of Australia and New Zealand continue to attract comment for their often-confusing similarity, especially in the context of remarks by the Acting Prime Minister across the Tasman, claiming that the Kiwi flag predates Australia’s. The claim was accurate, as the New Zealand flag design dates from 1870, and the earliest date that can be ascribed to the Australian flag is 3 September 1901.
That story is further complicated by the popular use - until 1954 - in Australia of the red version of its 1903 formal promulgation. Although yellow ensigns are rare in the wider Commonwealth usage, many others might be considered as “cloths of gold “– gold as a symbol of prestige, and are portrayed in the flag recognition quiz.
The second part of an article on the eccentric flag of the Isle of Man is followed by reports of flag eccentricities in Trump’s America, where patriotism seems often confused with flag waving. In contrast, the black and gold banners of the 2018 Invictus Games, held this month in Sydney, reflect a genuine quality of patriotic empathy, placing respect for people before symbols.
Such respect – and a test of moral government - is also shown by honouring promises made to minorities, no matter how small they might be, including the Druze in Israel.
Designers’ Corner concludes examination in earlier editions this year of flags whose designs feature a prominent circle. A tableau illustrates some of the highlights of the Flags Australia annual meeting in Newcastle at the end of August.
The Index covers all the flag topics published for 2018.
Commentary by Tony Burton
| For previous issues see: | Crux Index vol 26 - current |
| Crux Index vol 21-25 | |
| Crux Index vol 16-20 | |
| Crux Index vol 11-15 | |
| Crux Index vol 6-10 | |
| Crux Index vol 1-5 | |
ICV13 Report |
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