What is flag protocol?

Flag protocol in Australia is the set of rules and conventions for displaying the national flag with respect. The rules are set out in the Flags Act 1953 and in detailed guidance issued by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which advises government departments, schools, and the public on correct practice.

The most important rules are about position. When flown alone, the Australian National Flag should fly from a single mast or staff. When flown with other flags, the National Flag takes the position of honour, which is to the observer's left of the flag display, on a pole no lower than the others. State flags, the Australian Aboriginal Flag, and the Torres Strait Islander Flag are all Australian flags under the Flags Act and are flown alongside the National Flag at official ceremonies. Foreign flags should be flown at the same height as the Australian flag in their own designated positions.

The flag is flown at half-mast on days of national mourning, including the death of the sovereign, the death of a former Governor-General or Prime Minister, the funeral of a head of state, and on Remembrance Day until midday. To half-mast a flag, it is raised briskly to the top of the pole, paused, and then lowered to a position roughly one third of the height below the top. It is raised back to the top before being lowered for the night.

Other rules cover how the flag is folded (in a triangle so the Commonwealth Star is visible), when it must not be flown (in poor condition, never below another flag), and how it is disposed of when worn out (privately, with dignity, ideally by burning). The flag must not be defaced, used as upholstery or as a tablecloth, or draped on the ground. Schools, RSL clubs, and government buildings follow these rules closely, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet provides free guidance to anyone who asks.