The Australian Flag Society (AFS) is an advocacy group

Advocacy group

Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...

 that supports retaining the existing flag of Australia

Flag of Australia

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...

.

Structure

The AFS is currently unincorporated; it was originally constituted as the Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

 branch of the Australian National Flag Association

Australian National Flag Association

The Australian National Flag Association was launched at a public meeting in Sydney on 5 October 1983 to oppose suggestions that the existing Australian National Flag is not appropriately representative of the nation, and should be changed, with the late Sir Colin Hines elected as founding President...

 (ANFA). However, on 15 July 2003, affiliation with ANFA was severed, and the organisation rebranded.

Under the AFS constitution (adopted 25 October 2008), the National Convenor may admit voting rights members and appoint from among their number officers of the Executive Council. In addition, members of the general public are able to subscribe to the AFS as supporters free of charge.

Campaigns

Morris secured federal

Government of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...

 funding for the distribution of the "Our National Flag ... since 1901" video kit to all primary schools in Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 in 2002.

In the lead up to the sesquicentenary of the Eureka Stockade

Eureka Stockade

The Eureka Rebellion of 1854 was an organised rebellion by gold miners which occurred at Eureka Lead in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The Battle of Eureka Stockade was fought on 3 December 1854 and named for the stockade structure erected by miners during the conflict...

 in 2004, the AFS opposed moves to have the Eureka Flag

Eureka Flag

The Eureka Flag is a design; a dark blue field with a central white symmetric cross consisting five eight-pointed stars, representing the Crux constellation....

 officially recognised under the Flags Act 1953 (Cth)

Flags Act 1953

The Flags Act 1953 is an act of the Parliament of Australia which defines the official Flag of Australia. Queen Elizabeth II gave Royal Assent on 14 February 1954 after opening the Commonwealth Parliament during her 1954 Royal Tour...

.

The AFS proposed 22 August be proclaimed as "Captain Cook Day" in 2005 to commemorate the day explorer James Cook

James Cook

Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...

 laid claim to the east coast of Australia as New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 on Possession Island in the name of King George III.

In 2008 the AFS lobbied members of the Tasmanian parliament

Parliament of Tasmania

The Parliament of Tasmania consists of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Monarch represented by the Governor of Tasmania....

 for a public inquiry to be held in response to a motion

Motion (parliamentary procedure)

In parliamentary procedure, a motion is a formal proposal by a member of a deliberative assembly that the assembly take certain action. In a parliament, this is also called a parliamentary motion and includes legislative motions, budgetary motions, supplementary budgetary motions, and petitionary...

 proposed by Denison

Division of Denison (state)

The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...

 Labor

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

 MHA

Tasmanian House of Assembly

The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...

 Lisa Singh

Lisa Singh

Lisa Maria Singh is an Australian politician. She is currently an Australian Labor Party Senator for Tasmania. From 2006 to 2010, she was a Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, representing the division of Denison....

 to have the Australian Aboriginal Flag

Australian Aboriginal Flag

The Australian Aboriginal Flag is a flag that represents Indigenous Australians. It is one of the official "Flags of Australia", and holds special legal and political status, but it is not the "Australian National Flag"...

 stand in Parliament House, Hobart

Parliament House, Hobart

Parliament House, Hobart has been the meeting place of the Government of Tasmania since 1841. The building was originally designed as a customs house, and from 1841 until 1904 when the customs offices were relocated, the building served both purposes....

.

On 30 April 2009 the AFS released their National Language, Holiday and Flag Bill. It proposes to amend the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (IMP)

Constitution of Australia

The Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...

 to declare English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 to be the national language

National language

A national language is a language which has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a people and perhaps by extension the territory they occupy. The term is used variously. A national language may for instance represent the national identity of a nation or country...

, 26 January in each year to be Australia Day

Australia Day

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...

 and the existing flag

Flag of Australia

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...

to be the Australian National Flag.