Saturday 26 January 2013

Australia Day: Australia's contentious national day



celebrate what's great - click here

ABC: your australia day pics 2013 – click here

how to eat on australia day – click here

protocols for flying the flag  click here
About the flags: Click Here

The Australian Aboriginal Flag 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. Mr Harold Thomas from Northern Australia designed the flag. The Australian Aboriginal Flag was proclaimed an official flag of Australia on 14 July 1995. The Australian Aboriginal Flag is protected by copyright and may only be reproduced in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 or with the permission of Mr Harold Thomas. 




Did you also know that while it is protocol that when the Australian National Flag is flown with flags of other nations, all flags should be the same size and flown on flagpoles of the same height, this same protocol does not apply to the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags? 

That means that in practice, the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander flags fly lower than the Australian flag, in spite it being designated as an official flag of Australia. The Flag Act 1953 makes provision for the Governor General to make rules about the flying of offical flags. The Torres Strait Islander Flag was adopted in May 1992 during the Torres Strait Islands Cultural Festival. The Torres Strait Islander Flag was proclaimed an official flag of Australia on 14 July 1995. The Island Coordinating Council holds copyright in the Torres Strait Islander Flag. Requests for permission to reproduce the Torres Strait Islander Flag should be addressed to the Secretary of the Island Coordinating Council.


If you think the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander flags should be the same size and flown on flagpoles of the same height: email the Governor General

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