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.