History of the ANFA

The Australian National Flag Association (Victoria) has a rich history spanning four decades. Below is a detailed timeline of key dates, events, and leadership milestones in ANFA Victoria’s story:

  • 1983 – Formation: A Victorian organising committee establishes ANFA (Vic) in late 1983, shortly after the concept of an Australian National Flag Association is born.

    In Victoria, Mr. Ross Watson, OAM, a passionate flag advocate, leads the new branch as Chairman. The Hon. Secretary is Mr. M. Munro and Mr. H.W. Farrell (Henry Farrell) assists as a committee secretary, with Mr. J.P. Morton as Hon. Treasurer. Other founding committee members include R.H. Copley, N.R. Wall, E. Tracey, J. Scott, J. Gully and more – reflecting a broad cross-section of community supporters.

    From the outset, ANFA Victoria’s objective is “to represent the majority of our people who wish to preserve and protect our National Flag in its present historical and traditional form.” By year’s end, membership is growing rapidly, fuelled by media coverage and word of mouth among Victorians who do not want to see the national flag changed.

  • 1984 – First AGM and Public Initiatives: ANFA Victoria holds its First Annual General Meeting on 20 November 1984 in Melbourne, marking a full year of operations. In the lead-up to this, the Association runs a statewide petition campaign demanding that “no change to our National Flag” occur without the approval of the people via referendum.

    Volunteers and members circulate thousands of petition forms, and the response is substantial – reflecting strong public sentiment to safeguard the flag. This campaign coincides with national discussions about the flag’s future; ANFA Victoria effectively raises public awareness that the flag belongs to the people and any alteration must have democratic consent.

    Also in 1984, ANFA Victoria forges alliances with like-minded groups. Melbourne Legacy becomes one of ANFA Victoria’s first corporate members. On 6 June 1984, a Certificate of Membership is presented to the Legacy Club of Melbourne, signed by ANFA Chairman Bruce Ruxton and Hon. Secretary A. Harnel.

    Bruce Ruxton, a high-profile ex-serviceman and President of the RSL Victoria, had assumed the role of ANFA Victoria Chairman in 1984, bringing considerable public visibility to the Association.

    ANFA’s inaugural Newsletter is published in October 1984, containing a “Letter from our Chairman” (Ross Watson) that reviews the year’s “quiet achievements” and sets out the Association’s aims.  One quote from 1984 highlights the passion of the time: “If they try to change our Flag… I’d even leave the country. Look, I’m bloody proud of our Flag!” – Ben Lexcen, on the victory of Australia II. Such sentiments resonated with members and helped galvanise the Association’s resolve.

  • 1985–1988 – Growth and Outreach: During the mid-1980s, ANFA Victoria continues to grow in membership and influence. Local councils and RSL sub-branches begin to affiliate or support the Association’s activities.

    The Victorian RSL (Returned Services League), under Bruce Ruxton’s leadership, strongly backs ANFA’s mission, seeing the national flag as deeply connected to the service and sacrifice of Australian veterans. ANFA Victoria members speak at schools, Rotary clubs and community events about the flag’s history.

    The Association’s literature emphasises that the flag represents “all Australians – one people and one nation” and that new citizens from many backgrounds have “come to respect and love this flag” as a unifying emblem of freedom. In 1986, ANFA Victoria supports celebrations of the Australian National Flag’s 85th anniversary, and by 1988 (Australia’s Bicentenary year) the profile of the flag is high.

    ANFA Victoria participates in Bicentennial events where the flag is honoured. A highlight of 1988 is a ceremony recognising Melbourne Legacy’s volunteers (particularly war widows) for distributing Australian flag sprigs on Anzac Day. ANFA Victoria President Ross Watson presents a framed appreciation certificate to Mrs. Billie Simms of Legacy, praising the widows’ “splendid work… to help keep the Aussie Flag flying” on Anzac Day.

    By the late 1980s, ANFA Victoria’s advocacy is increasingly noted in public discourse whenever the flag’s status is debated.

  • 1989 – “Flag Day” Advocacy: ANFA Victoria eagerly supports the establishment of a National Flag Day. Through the late 1980s, ANFA branches in all states begin holding Flag Day ceremonies on 3 September. In 1989, the Governor of New South Wales, Sir David Martin, delivered a Flag Day address at a public ceremony, encapsulating the patriotic spirit by saying: “I come here as someone who is proudly Australian; I come here out of respect for a Flag which is proudly Australian.” Such high-level recognition boosts ANFA’s cause.

    In Victoria, around this time, ANFA members and some local councils also start marking 3 September with flag-raising events (albeit on a smaller scale). These early observances relied on volunteer efforts but laid the groundwork for a nationally recognised Flag Day soon to come.

  • Early 1990s – Standing Firm Against Flag Change: The early 1990s bring renewed debate about Australian symbols amid discussions of Australia possibly becoming a republic. ANFA Victoria, under the continued figurehead leadership of Bruce Ruxton (as President/Chairman) and working closely with ANFA branches nationwide, makes its stance clear: the current flag should remain Australia’s National Flag.

    The Association emphasises that the flag’s design already uniquely reflects Australia’s history and unity, and it opposes proposals like “Ausflag” (a movement designing alternative flags). ANFA Victoria rallies public opinion by providing speakers for media and public forums. For example, when Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s government and later Paul Keating’s government broach the subject of flag changes, ANFA responds with campaigns to “let the people decide.”

    In one notable instance, ANFA Victoria helped collect over 30,000 signatures on a petition to Federal Parliament in the early 1990s, reinforcing the message that any alteration would be “utterly undemocratic without a people’s vote.”

    By 1994, facing widespread opposition from the RSL and ANFA (described as “campaigns by the RSL and its offshoot, the Australian National Flag Association” in one account), the Labor government quietly dropped its tentative plans to change the flag. ANFA Victoria’s non-partisan but vocal approach helped ensure the flag debate remained in the public’s hands.

  • 1996 – Flag Day Proclaimed: A watershed moment arrives in 1996. Following a change of federal government, the new Prime Minister John Howard is sympathetic to the cause of protecting national symbols. On 28 August 1996, Governor-General Sir William Deane formally proclaims 3 September as Australian National Flag Day. ANFA Victoria members celebrate this announcement.

    Less than a week later, on 3 September 1996, the first official National Flag Day is celebrated. In Sydney, a major ceremony at Martin Place features the Minister for Administrative Services, Hon. David Jull (representing the government), reading a special message from Prime Minister Howard.

  • 1998 – Legal Protection of the Flag: In 1998, ANFA’s long-standing goal of securing the flag against arbitrary change is achieved. The Australian Parliament passes the Flags Amendment Act 1998, which writes into law that the Australian National Flag “shall not be altered or replaced except with the agreement of the Australian people” expressed through a nationwide referendum or plebiscite.

    This historic safeguard — requiring direct public approval for any change — reflects exactly what ANFA Victoria had been advocating since its petition in 1984. ANFA Victoria’s leaders attend the parliamentary sessions when the bill is introduced and again when it passes with bipartisan support. The Association publicly commends the government and opposition for listening to the people. One ANFA representative is quoted saying this law “gives Australians ownership of their flag” and ensures “our flag will never be changed in some backroom deal – the people will decide.” The 1998 amendment stands as a key legacy of ANFA’s work.

  • 2001 – 100 Years of the Flag: On 3 September 2001, Australia marks the centenary of the first flying of our National Flag. ANFA Victoria takes a leading role in Melbourne’s celebrations. A Centenary Flag Day Ceremony is held at the Royal Exhibition Building – precisely 100 years after the original flag was unfurled at that site in 1901. The event is attended by hundreds of people, including schoolchildren waving flags.

    Prime Minister John Howard, as keynote speaker, emphasises the continuity of Australia’s national symbols and extols the flag as “a unifying force… a focus for national pride.” He notes the government kept its promise by enshrining the flag’s protection in legislation and urges Australians to “join in celebration of our foremost national symbol.”

    The Governor of Victoria, the Hon. John Landy, and Premier Steve Bracks also address the gathering, as does the Lord Mayor of Melbourne – all expressing admiration for the flag’s role in Australian unity.

  • 2000s – Present: After the centenary, ANFA Victoria continues its mission with renewed energy. On 3 September (Flag Day), ANFA Victoria members have come together, often at notable Melbourne locations, to hold public flag-raising ceremonies.

    Beyond Flag Day, ANFA Victoria remains engaged year-round. It provides educational talks upon request – members visit classrooms or community clubs to share the fascinating story of our flag (from the Eureka flag influences to the 1901 contest and beyond). The Association has also preserved important historical materials, like original documents and images related to the flag, ensuring they are shared with the public (often through partnership with museums or libraries).

    Internally, ANFA Victoria’s leadership has seen generational change: early leaders like Ross Watson and Bruce Ruxton have since passed on, and new volunteers have stepped up to carry the torch. Notably, ANFA Victoria’s Council has included educators, ex-service personnel, historians, and young flag enthusiasts alike, all united by a commitment to the flag.

In summary, ANFA Victoria today is both a guardian and promoter of the Australian National Flag. It operates with the same volunteer spirit as in 1983, driven by the conviction that the flag is “the people’s flag” and a treasured national asset. Whether through community ceremonies, educational outreach, or steadfast advocacy, ANFA Victoria remains deeply engaged in encouraging Australians to value their flag and what it stands for: our history, our unity, and our hope in a shared future under the Southern Cross.