Flags, nationhood material and wreaths
Your office expenses budget may be used to purchase wreaths, flags, flag lapel pins, portraits, booklets and other specified items related to nationhood, as approved by the Minister, for presentation to constituents and organisations.
Flags and nationhood material must be purchased through the contracted stationery supplier. You are unable to claim the expense for flags and nationhood material purchased from other providers.
It is expected that there will be an element of formality in the act and/or ceremony in which wreaths, flags, and nationhood material are presented and that the presentation is made directly by you to the recipient.
Constituent is defined in section 5 of the Parliamentary Business Resources Act 2017 as a person enrolled to vote or resident in your electorate (or State/Territory for a Senator).
These expenses are included in your expenditure reports.
Nationhood material
The Minister has approved the following items for presentation to constituents and organisations:
- booklets on the flags of Australia
- booklets on Australia’s national symbols
- posters displaying the lyrics of the Australian National Anthem
- posters displaying the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag, including protocols for flying the flag, copyright and protocol for singing the National Anthem in First Nations languages
- CDs, DVDs and USBs with recordings of the Australian national anthem
- portraits of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen.
You must purchase these items through the contracted stationery supplier. Expenses will be deducted from your office expenses budget.
Flags
It is expected that flags not be presented to businesses or commercial enterprises. Large flags should not be distributed more generally. For example, large flags should not be included in general information packages to constituents. However, you may present a large Australian National Flag, or provide the flag to an ex-service organisation representative for presentation on your behalf, to the family of an Australian war veteran at the veteran’s funeral.
Flags and flag lapel pins must be purchased through the contracted stationery supplier. Lapel pins can only be ordered in a minimum quantity of 10 items. Costs will be deducted from your office expenses budget. The types and sizes approved by the Minister are:
- The Australian National Flag (Blue Ensign), the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag in the following sizes:
- 1370 x 685 mm
- 1830 x 915 mm
- 2400 x 1200 mm
- 3660 x 1830 mm.
- The Australian Red Ensign, as long as the flag is no larger than 1830 x 915 mm.
Note: The Flags Act 1953 proclaimed the Australian Blue Ensign as the Australian National Flag and the Red Ensign as the flag for Australian merchant ships. The Red Ensign should only be presented to service-related groups.
- Desktop and hand-waver flags.
- The Australian National Flag lapel pin with butterfly clip attachment with the following specifications:
- 15mm x 15mm size
- enamel ink-filled.
Where a special case exists for a flag of non-standard size or of more durable material, contact IPEA. Heavy duty flags for external use at your electorate office can be ordered through the contracted stationery supplier. Costs will be deducted from your office expenses budget.
Chamber Flag Program
Through this program, you may obtain flags that were hung on a sitting day for either house of the Parliament with an accompanying certificate, for the dominant purpose of your parliamentary business and presentation to constituents or non-commercial organisations in your electorate. Chamber Flags are provided by Australian Parliament House, and are not therefore debited from your office expenses budget.
Chamber flags are subject to availability and provided at the discretion of the Serjeant-at-Arms or Usher of the Black Rod, as relevant.
Commonwealth Flag Network guidelines
If you have a flagpole installed outside your office you should join the Commonwealth Flag Network by registering at the Commonwealth Flag Network website. The Commonwealth Flag Network provides up-to-date advice on how and when to fly the flag. After registering you will receive an email at the same time as flag marshals around the country, with flag protocols for:
- special occasions such as ANZAC Day and NAIDOC Week
- occasions when flags should be flown at half-mast
- flying multiple flags or using multiple flagpoles
- treatment of the flag to maintain its dignity
- different times of day
- The flag should be raised no earlier than first light and lowered no later than dusk
- The flag may only be flown at night if illuminated.
If a displayed flag becomes ‘dilapidated and unsuitable for use’ a replacement should be ordered immediately.
Australian awards and national symbols
Contact the Honours and Symbols Section of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for advice and information on:
- Australian honours and awards
- Imperial honours and foreign awards
- Australian flags
- Australian national and Royal symbols
- Australian National and Royal Anthems
- Commonwealth Coat of Arms
- anniversary messages.
Wreaths
You may purchase wreaths, for example, for ceremonial purposes, and claim reimbursement through PEMS, with the expense deducted from your office expenses budget.
