Lecture 7 Tasmania. New Zeland

1. Tasmania

1.1 Flag and National Symbols

1.2 Physical Geography

1.3 Human Geography and Demographics

1.4 Language

1.5 System of Government

1.6 System of Education

2. New Zeland

2.1 Flag and National Symbols

2.2 Physical Geography

2.3 Human Geography and Demographics

2.4 Wellington and Auckland

2.5 Language

2.6 System of Government

2.7 System of Education

1.1 Flag and National Symbols

It has the Union Jack is in the left hand corner and the State badge to the right on a dark blue background. The red lion is within a white circle.

The Tasmanian Flag is a most beautiful flag. Even though it was only officially proclaimed as our State Flag in 1975, it has been with us for quite some time. It is complimentary to our Australian National Flag. Tasmanians are exhorted to fly the State Flag as much as possible and as prominent as possible. The correct flying of the State flag is important and a brief sketch how and procedure, is provided in this short narrative.

The vast majority of Tasmanians are proud of their beautiful State Flag and newcomers to our shores adopt it quite happily as their own.

Occasionally there are calls for its replacement, but like the Australian National Flag, any alternative suggested is never an improvement on the existing one. Most of the attempts to discredit our flag can be generated by political and philosophical reasons, while others are simply misunderstanding the valuable symbols and meaning that our flag carries. It is unfortunate that there are few attempts in our education system for young people to understand and value our State Flag. While other flags of various countries are taught as part of a curriculum, the educating of our young regarding their own flag is neglected. It is our attempt (Australian National Flag Association Tas) to readdress this situation.

To commemorate and to bring attention to our flag in a positive way, a Tasmanian Commemorative Flag Day has been inaugurated. This falls on December 3rd annually to herald the anniversary of the official birth of our flag. (1975). It is also solicits all State Government buildings, businesses, churches, clubs and private dwellings to fly the flag proudly on that day.

It is a very strange situation where latter-day State Governments do not promote their own State Flag. It should be pointed out that it was a Labour Government that first proclaimed our flag. Next to the National Flag, the State Flag is the most important flag in Tasmania. It represents all Tasmanians, bringing us together as one people or so it should be promoted in that capacity. It is our aim to do just that. We were the first State in the Australian Commonwealth to proclaim a State Flag.

1.2 Physical Geography

Tasmania (abbreviated as Tas and known colloquially as "Tassie") is an island state, part of the Commonwealth of Australia, located 240 kilometres (150 mi) to the south of the Australian continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania, the 26th largest island in the world, and the surrounding 334 islands. The state has a population of 507,626 (as of June 2010), of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart precinct. Tasmania's area is 68,401 square kilometres (26,410 sq mi), of which the main island covers 62,409 square kilometres (24,096 sq mi).

Tasmania is promoted as the natural state, the "Island of Inspiration", and A World Apart, Not A World Away owing to its large and relatively unspoiled natural environment. Almost 45% of Tasmania lies in reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites. The island is 364 kilometres (226 mi) long from its northernmost to its southernmost points, and 306 kilometres (190 mi) from west to east.

The state capital and largest city is Hobart, which encompasses the local government areas of City of Hobart, City of Glenorchy, and City of Clarence, while the satellite town of Kingston (part of the Municipality of Kingborough) is generally included in the Greater Hobart area.

The northernmost terrestrial point of the state of Tasmania is Boundary Islet, a nature reserve in Bass Strait which, due to a quirk of history, is shared with the state of Victoria.

The subantarctic Macquarie Island and its surrounding islands are also under the administration of Tasmania as a nature reserve and part of the Huon Valley Council local government area. The Bishop and Clerk Islets, about 37 km south of Macquarie Island, are the southernmost terrestrial point of the state of Tasmania, and the southernmost internationally recognised land in Australia.