Flag raising ceremonies - Australia Day · Flag raising ceremonies ... play the national anthem at...

Flag raising ceremonies The Australia Day Flag Raising Ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate and build community pride in our nation.

Things to know

+ Theflagshouldberaisedbrisklyandloweredceremoniously.

+ Theflagshouldberaisednoearlierthanfirstlightandlowerednolaterthandusk.

+ Whentheflagisraisedorlowered,orwhenitiscarriedinaparadeorreview,everyonepresentshouldbesilentandfacetheflag.Peopleinuniformshouldsalute.

+ Theflagshouldalwaysbeflownfreelyandascloseaspossibletothetopoftheflagpolewiththe rope tightly secured.

+ Unlessallflagsareraisedandloweredsimultaneously,theAustralianNationalFlagshouldberaisedfirstandloweredlast.

+ WhentheAustralianNationalFlagisflownwithflagsofothernations,allflagsshouldbethesamesizeandflownonflagpolesofthesameheight

+ Whenflyingwithonlyoneothernationalflag,theAustralianNationalFlagshouldflyontheleftofapersonfacingtheflags.

+ Twoflagsshouldnotbeflownfromthesameflagpole.

+ Theflagmaybeflownatnightonlywhenitisilluminated.

+ Theflagshouldneverbeflownifitisdamaged,fadedordilapidated.Whenthematerialofaflagdeterioratesitshouldbedestroyedprivatelyandinadignifiedway.i.e.itmaybecutintosmallunrecognisablepiecesthendisposedofwiththenormalrubbishcollection.

For more information please see www.itsanhonour.gov.au/symbols/flag.cfm#flying

Flag Raising Ceremony and Australian Citizenship Ceremony being held together

ItisquitecommontoholdtheFlagRaisingandCitizenshipCeremonytogetherorbacktobackhoweverit’simportanttostilltreatthemasseparateevents.Youstillneedtofollowalltheprotocolfrombothevents,seeprevioushowevertherearesomethingsyoustillneedtoconsider;

+ YoustillneedtoplaythenationalanthemattheendoftheCitizenshipceremonyevenifyouhavealreadyplayeditaspartoftheFlagRaisingceremony.

+ TheflagyouhaveraisedshouldremainraiseduntiltheendoftheCitizenshipceremony.

+ IfyouareholdingawelcomeoracknowledgementofcountrythiswouldnormallygoatthestartoftheCitizenshipCeremony,sotheendoftheFlagRaisingceremony.

The Australian Flag and flag flying

OnAustraliaDay,peoplealloverthecountrywillflytheAustralianNationalFlag,aswellastheAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags.

Protocols

Asthenation’sforemostsymbol,theAustralianNationalFlagshouldbeusedwithrespectanddignity.Theseprotocolsaretoassistyouwhenflyingorusingtheflag.

+ YoumustdisplaytheAustralian,AboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderflagtogether.

+ ThecorrectorderfordisplayingthemisAustralian,AboriginalandthenTorresStraitIslanderfromlefttorightwhenlookingatthestage.IfyouarealsodisplayingyourStateorTerritoryflag,theorderwouldbeAustralian,yourStateorTerritory,AboriginalandthenTorresStraitIslander from left to right again.

+ Theflagsshouldnotbeflownupsidedown.

+ Allflagsmustbethesamesize.

+ Ifflyingallstateflagstheorderisasfollows:

• Australian• NSW• VIC• QLD• WA• SA• TAS• ACT• NT• Aboriginal • Torres Strait Islander

IfyouhaveaccesstoanotherAustralianFlagitwouldgoattheendaswellasthestart.