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The Australian Flag and flag flying

This tool offers a brief account of the design, history and symbolism of the Australian National Flag and of Australian Indigenous flags.

It also provides flag flying protocols, information on accessing an Australian National Flag and information about use of flags in celebrations.

Resource one—The Australian National Flag
Resource two—Australian Indigenous Flags
Resource three—The Australian National Flag and flag etiquette
Resource four—Using the Australian National Flag

About this tool

This tool offers a brief account of the design, history and symbolism of the Australian National Flag and of Australian Indigenous flags. It also provides flag flying protocols, information on accessing an Australian National Flag and information about use of flags in celebrations.

Why use this tool?

• You will be confident that you are treating cultural symbols (in this case flags) with respect and in appropriate ways.

• You will have an understanding of flag raising protocols.

• You will have information on how to access more detail on flag etiquette.

• You will have guidance on appropriate uses of the flags at Australia Day events, for more formal events such as Citizenship Ceremonies, and launches of Australia Day ceremonies.

RESOURCE ONE — The Australian National Flag

The Australian National Flag is Australia’s foremost symbol. The flag was first flown in 1901 and has become an expression of Australian identity and pride. The flag is an important part of national occasions including Australia Day.

Design
The Australian National Flag features the five stars of the constellation of the Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star, and the combined crosses of St George, St Andrew and St Patrick. The union of crosses represents Australia’s early settlers. The Commonwealth Star with its seven points represents the unity of the six Australian states and the seventh point stands for all Australian territories.

Under the Flags Act of 1953, passed unanimously by parliament, it was confirmed that our ‘Stars and Crosses’ design be the chief national symbol by law, custom and tradition and that it be honoured with the title ‘Australian National Flag’. The new status of the national flag was emphasised when the act of parliament received royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II, on Her Majesty’s visit to Australia in 1954.

The Australian National Flag is the only one to fly over the whole continent.

Symbolism
The Australian National Flag identifies a free and democratic people in a nation united in purpose. Our national flag belongs equally to all Australians whatever their origins. Each of the symbols on the flag has a special meaning for Australians. The stars of the Southern Cross represent our geographic position in the Southern Hemisphere; the Commonwealth star stands for our federation of states and territories; the combined crosses represent the principles on which our nation is based, namely parliamentary democracy, rule of law and freedom of speech.

In 1996 the Governor-General, Sir William Deane, proclaimed 3 September as Australian National Flag Day, to commemorate the day in 1901 on which our national flag of ‘Stars and Crosses’ was first flown.
It is the right and privilege of every Australian to fly the Australian National Flag.

History
Following Federation as a new nation (the Commonwealth of Australia) on 1 January, 1901 the Commonwealth Government announced a federal flag design competition on 29 April, 1901. The contest attracted 32,823 entries from men, women and children. An expert panel of judges assessed the entries using guidelines which included history, heraldry, distinctiveness, utility and cost of manufacture.

On 3 September, 1901 the Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Edmund Barton, announced that five entrants, who had submitted similar designs, were to share the honour of being declared the designers of Australia’s own flag. They were: Ivor Evans, a 14-year-old schoolboy from Melbourne; Leslie John Hawkins, a teenager apprenticed to a Sydney optician; Egbert John Nuttall, a Melbourne architect; Annie Dorrington, an artist from Perth; and William Stevens, a ship’s officer from Auckland, New Zealand.

RESOURCE TWO —Australian Indigenous flags

Australian Aboriginal Flag
Design
The Australian Aboriginal Flag is divided horizontally into equal halves of black (top) and red (bottom) with yellow circle in the middle.

Symbolism
The top half of the flag is black to symbolise Indigenous people. The red in the lower half stands for the earth and the colour of ochre, which has ceremonial significance. The circle of yellow in the centre of the flag represents the sun.

The Australian Aboriginal Flag is well recognised as the flag of Aboriginal peoples of Australia. It is displayed at Aboriginal centres and has been flown:

• during NAIDOC Week to celebrate and promote greater understanding of Indigenous peoples and culture

• during National Reconciliation Week in recognition of 27 May as the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum which removed from the Constitution clauses that discriminated against indigenous Australians

• on 3 June as the anniversary of the High Court decision in the Eddie Mabo land rights case of 1992

• on National Sorry Day, when the Prime Minister of Australia apologised to the Stolen Generations on 13 February 2008

History
The Australian Aboriginal Flag designed by Harold Joseph Thomas, a Luritja man from Central Australia. It was first raised on 12 July 1971 at Victoria Square in Adelaide. It was also used at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972. The Australian Aboriginal Flag was proclaimed on 14 July 1995. Permission is not required to fly the Australian Aboriginal Flag.

Torres Strait Islander Flag
 
Design
The flag features three horizontal bands with green at the top and bottom and blue in between. The bands are joined by thin black lines.

Symbolism
The green panels at the top and bottom of the flag represent the land and the central blue panel represents the sea. The black lines dividing the panels represent the Torres Strait Islander people. The centre of the flag shows a white dhari (dancer’s headdress) and is a symbol for all Torres Strait Islanders. Underneath the dhari is a white five-pointed star. The star is an important symbol for navigating the sea. The points of the star represent the island groups in the Torres Strait and white symbolises peace.

History
The Torres Strait Islander Flag was adopted in May 1992 during the Torres Strait Islands Cultural Festival. The design of the Torres Strait Islander Flag was the winning entry in a competition organised by the Island Coordinating Council. The Torres Strait Islander Flag was proclaimed on 14 July 1995. Permission is not required to fly the Torres Strait Islander Flag.

RESOURCE THREE — The Australian National Flag and flag etiquette

Dignity of the flag

The Australian rules of flag etiquette are designed to ensure that our national flag is displayed with the dignity befitting its status.

• The Australian National Flag should be displayed only in a manner befitting the national emblem. It should not be subjected to indignity or displayed in a position inferior to any other flag or ensign.

• The Australian National Flag normally takes precedence over all other national flags when flown in Australia. It should always be flown aloft and free and should not be allowed to fall or lie upon the ground.

• The Australian National Flag should not be used as a covering of a statue, monument or plaque for an unveiling ceremony (a plain cover should be used); as a table or seat cover, or as a masking for boxes, barriers or intervening space between floor and ground level on a dais or platform.

• When the Australian National Flag is raised or lowered, or when it is carried past in a parade or review, all present should face the Flag, men should remove their hats and all should remain silent. Those in uniform should salute.

Defacement

• A flag is said to be ‘defaced’ when a ‘badge of office’ or any other object is superimposed upon an authorised flag.

• Convention is not to deface the Australian National Flag

Guidelines for flying the flags

• The Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag may be flown on every day of the year.

• The flags should be treated with respect and dignity and the Australian National Flag must always be flown in a position superior to that of any other flag or ensign.

• When flown in Australia or on Australian territory, the Australian National Flag takes precedence over all national flags.

• The flag should be raised no earlier than first light and should be lowered no later than dusk—it may only be flown at night when illuminated.

• When flown at ‘half-mast’, the flag should be positioned one-flag width below full mast.

• Two flags should not be flown on the same flagpole.

• As a general rule, the order of flying precedence is: national flags are first, followed by state and territory flags and then peoples’ flags.

Flags of other nations at Australia Day celebrations

• Australian residents may fly the national flags that are of significance to them. While the Australian National Flag has pride of place, the flying of all national flags is permitted.

RESOURCE FOUR—Using the National Australian Flag

How to obtain an Australian National Flag

• One of the avenues used by the Government to promote the flag is the Constituents' Request Program, which is administered through the electorate offices of Senators and Federal Members of Parliament.

• Under this program, certain organisations and institutions, including schools and community organisations, may obtain an Australian national flag free of charge to fly or display as appropriate.

• In addition, any member of the public may obtain from a Senator or local Federal Member of Parliament a publication called Australian Flags which explains the history of the Australian National Flag and gives a detailed outline of flag protocol issues.

Who can fly the flags?

• The Australian Government and the National Australia Day Council encourage the flying of the Australian National Flag by all Australians.

• The council actively encourages all Australians to be aware of, and proud of, their country’s identity.

• Any Australian citizen or organisation may display the Australian National Flag. This may be done between 8am and sunset, or at night if properly illuminated.

Use for commercial or advertising

• The Australian National Flag may be used for commercial or advertising purposes without formal permission, subject to the following guidelines:

1. The flag is used in a dignified manner and reproduced completely and accurately
2. It should not be defaced by overprinting with words or illustrations
3. It should not be covered by other objects in displays
4. All symbolic parts of the flag should be identifiable

Use in event promotion and publicity

• A loyalty to Australia and pride in the flag can be expressed through play. On Australia Day myriad forms of the Australian National Flag other than the large ‘official’ flag are used for many purposes.
• These guidelines explain what is acceptable and tasteful:

1. the Australian National Flag and representations of it should always be shown, represented or used in a dignified manner
2. it should not be defaced by way of printing or illustrations, or masked by other objects, and all symbols parts of the Flag should be identifiable
3. the flags should be treated with respect

Related tools
Australia Day and reconciliation
National symbols
Inclusive events

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References
Australian National Flag Association, Flag Protocol, http://www.australianflag.org.au/protocol.php

Information on the Aboriginal flag is copyright of the Australian Museum, Indigenous Australia, Dreaming Online, Flags and Maps, http://www.dreamtime.net.au/indigenous/flags.cfm

Australian Government, It's An Honour website, Australian National Flag, http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/anthem.cfm

URLs
For more information on how to fly the Australian National Flag and other flags visit It's An Honour: http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au