Most young Australians say there should be no change to the Australian flag - even if that means retaining the Union Jack as a prominent part of its design.
The poll, in yesterday's Sydney Morning Herald, revealed only 27 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 felt the flag should be redesigned, and showed a majority of all Australians - 66 per cent - wanted no change.
The results follow last week's federal government proposal that any change to the flag be ratified by a national plebiscite.
The flag debate is highly charged and will become even more so in the run-up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Republicans argue that Australia cannot continue to be represented by a flag that features the British Union Jack. Australian conservatives who wish to retain a link with Britain insist the Union Jack be kept.
The poll's results are a setback to republicans, who have been successfully exploiting the issue of the 2000 Olympics to argue the country sever its ties with the British monarchy by then.
