From the Governor General, Sam Mostyn AC
On Australian National Flag Day, I am proud to celebrate the beauty and importance of our national flag.
As it flew over the Exhibition Building in 1901, the people of Melbourne delighted in the colours and symbolism of our first flag. Brilliant against the sky, it reflected our place in the world, our unity and our optimism.
In 2024, flying alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, the Australian National Flag is a meaningful symbol of our nation. On the bright days and in the dark nights, our national flag is a source of comfort and pride.
This year we have seen our Olympians and Paralympians proudly drape themselves in our flag in Paris as they have competed. Shared with the many Australians in the stands and watching at home, these have been moments of national joy and celebration.
A source of joy in our times of triumph, and comfort on days of mourning, our national flag is a part of who we are as a nation. Today, I encourage all Australians to look up and celebrate our flag.
Message from the Governor-General_Australian National Flag Day_2024
From the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese MP
Each year on 3 September Australians commemorate the day in 1901 when we first flew our National Flag.
It’s a day to unite around our shared love of this nation, and our shared hope in its future. It’s a moment to consider our history, and to remember the people and events that have shaped our nation’s story.
I’m always very proud to stand beside the Australian flag, and to celebrate the nation we have become – a place of fairness and unity, freedom and prosperity, built on the resilience and skills of our people.
Seeing our national flag held aloft by Jess Fox and Eddie Ockenden at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics was a thrilling moment for our people and a proud tribute to our modern, diverse and democratic nation.
Australia is the greatest country on Earth. And we have what it takes to make Australia even greater still.
We live in the fastest growing region in the world, and we have extraordinary natural resources. The talent and determination of our people are second to none. We work hard and dream big. Our diversity is a national treasure, and our nation is home to the oldest continuous living culture on earth.
The opportunities before us are unparalleled. In that spirit, I encourage Australians to work together with renewed energy and confidence to build an even better future for ourselves and generations to come.
This is the Australia that our forebears dreamed of when they unfurled our nation’s flag 123 years ago. This is the nation we celebrate today.
Message from the Prime Minister – National Flag Day 2024
From the Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton MP
In my National Flag Day message last year, I wrote about the then forthcoming Voice referendum stating that I hoped our national flag – a symbol of one country and one people – was on the minds of Australians when they went to vote.
On 14 October 2023, millions of Australians rejected the divisive Voice referendum in what was a resounding result. Australians sent a clear message to the Prime Minister: they do not want our country to be divided by ancestry and race.
On this National Flag Day, let us look to our one flag to revive our national unity and rediscover our national confidence in testing times. Let us dismiss those voices that are determined to define and divide us on the basis of our differences: our race, sex, religion, class and more besides. Instead, let us renew our focus on the far more meaningful things that we have in common: our love of family, our appreciation for friends and colleagues, our attachment to community, our aspiration, compassion and optimism, our respect for law and liberty, our devotion to our country, and our desire to protect our great democracy and its values.
On this 123rd anniversary of our national flag, may we celebrate it as proud Australians. Patriotism is about much more than a love for- and loyalty to- our country. It is about gratitude to our forebears for forging the achievement of modern Australia. It is about custodianship of their legacy and seeking to build upon it. It is about bequeathing to future generations of Australians a country better than the one we inherited. Today, may we remember the time-transcending meaning of our flag and the duty and unity it inspires.
240903 – Leader of the Opposition – National Flag Day – Message
From former Prime Minister, John Howard OM AC
There is only one Australian Flag, and no government should unilaterally elevate others to an equal status.
John Howard Flag Day message 2024
From the Chief of the Defence Force, David Johnston AC
As we celebrate the 123rd anniversary of the Australian National Flag (ANF), it is important to reflect on its importance and symbolism.
The ANF is of particular significance to the Defence community. It is a symbol that identifies us as Australians and the community who we serve to defend.
Australian Defence Force personnel proudly display the ANF as a constant reminder of the sacrifices and deeds of personnel who served under it.
On 3 September, Australian National Flag Day, I encourage all Australians to reflect on what our flag represents and honour the sacrifices made to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.
From the Director of the Australian War Memorial, Matt Anderson PSM
Later this month, the Australian War Memorial will complete the refurbishment of the Parade Ground and reopen the Commemorative Entrance. These are the first major milestones of a multi-year, once in a generation redevelopment.
These milestones will be symbolically and practically completed with the re-installation of the six flagpoles that have held pride of place on the Memorial’s forecourt for generations. For the first time, it is intended to fly permanently the Ensigns of the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Australian Army does not have its own Ensign; rather, it is the protector of the Australian National Flag.
The parade ground flags will fly over national ceremonies and commemorations. They will fly for the visits of international dignitaries and high ranking military delegations and they will fly over the heads of our everyday visitors. They will be lowered to half-mast when we honour a great national loss.
The Australian National Flag, accompanied by these ensigns, will be flown in honour of those who serve and those who have served and sworn to protect what these national symbols embody. It should be remembered that the Memorial’s flagpoles stand proudly on the axis of Anzac Parade – the unbroken line of sight between Parliament House and the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
These two buildings of profound national significance, are intrinsically linked by the democratic right of our Parliamentarians to send Australians into harm’s way in the defence of our national interests and our values, and the pride our service personnel take in defending that very democracy.
I encourage all Australians to reflect on what the Australian National Flag means to them, and to always honour the sacrifices made under our flag, and our service ensigns, for our nation.
From Chairman of the Merchant Navy Memorial Fund, Sean Barrett
The recent Olympic Games once again reminds us of the pride we all share, when we see our National Flag flying high acknowledging the achievements of our athletes.
Our flag is a symbol of the nationhood that has carried our country during good times and tough times, through peace and war, and under which we have strived for democratic freedoms, democracy and celebrated the shared values of our citizenship.
I would like to thank the Australian National Flag Association (ANFA), for all they have done to remind the Australian community, that our country has two flags. In 1901 two flags were born…. The blue Australian National Flag and the Australian Red Ensign, the official flag to be flown at sea by Australian registered merchant ships.
The Vision Statement of our organisation is:
TO ENSURE THAT THE AUSTRALIAN MERCHANT NAVY “A TITLE EMBLAZONED IN BATTLE AND HONOURED IN FREEDOM” IS RECOGNISED AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF AUSTRALIAN MARITIME HISTORY AND SOCIAL CULTURE.
It is said, that during the Second World War, the rate of merchant sailors who died, was higher than Australia’s fighting services. What it must have taken them to pack their bags, kiss their family members goodbye, dig deep and board those ships – is unimaginable to most of us. And the desperate fear they must have felt when a torpedo struck their ship in the middle of the night, as was so often the case. None of them wore a uniform, yet their courage equaled that of our uniformed sailors, soldiers and airman and woman.
The capacity for endurance of the common man, facing uncommon danger, is a lesson that every generation needs to understand, together with appreciation all those who fought for the freedom we enjoy today.
From the Governor of NSW, Margaret Beazley AC QC
On 3 September 1901, when the Australian flag was raised at the original home of our Commonwealth Parliament, the Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne, it became the symbol of the unity of the six colonies that had federated to form the new Commonwealth of Australia. It recognised then, as it does today, Australia’s sovereignty as a nation. When flown in Australia or on Australian territory, the Australian National Flag takes precedence over all other flags.
In both World Wars, our service men and women enlisted and fought under our national flag in the cause of peace. Australia is represented under its banner at international institutions to signify membership, including at the United Nations. In October this year, it will welcome King Charles III to Australia, and be flown at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.
Recently, our national flag was carried by Australian athletes at the Paris Olympics. As we cheered them as it was raised, so, as we mark this day, we celebrate the success of our Paralympic athletes.
In 1995, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag were proclaimed as flags of Australia honouring First Nation Australians’ unique, continuous history extending back 65,000 years.
On this 123rd anniversary of our National Flag, I convey best wishes to the Australian National Flag Association (NSW) and to all Australians.
From Prue Car MP, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education & Early Learning and Western Sydney
This Australian National Flag Day, we celebrate 123 years since our country’s flag was flown for the very first time.
Australians come together on September 3 to acknowledge and celebrate the anniversary of our flag.
More than a century since the Australian flag came into being, it remains a proud expression of our Australian identity and represents our nation on the world stage.
The Australian flag brings us together, acknowledging the past and looking with hope to the future.
Congratulations to Flag Day Australia and the Australian National Flag Association (NSW) for their work to acknowledge the role of our flag and Flag Day in our nation’s story.
From the Premier of Queensland Steven Miles MP
Australian National Flag Day on 3 September is an opportunity for all Australians to reflect on the state of the nation, and to think about where we have come from and where we are going.
This is also a day to acknowledge and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and culture which connects more than 65,000 years of history to the diversity of the modern day.
On this day 123 years ago, the Australian flag flew for the first time soon after Federation, having been chosen from more than 32,000 entries in a public competition.
The judges spent six days assessing the submissions before settling on five winners who had entered almost identical designs and who shared the £200 prize money.
The decision spoke to the nation about the importance of being a democratic and inclusive society, and the flag continues to remind Australians of the importance of collaboration between our diverse heritage, faiths, cultures and customs.
Across Queensland and throughout Australia, we share democratic values based upon freedom, respect, fairness, and equality of opportunity.
Australian National Flag Day emphasises to Queenslanders – and all Australians – the value of being united in a common purpose to create a brighter future.
From the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore
On 3 September it will be the 123rd anniversary of the birth of the Australian National Flag. This day provides us with the opportunity to reflect on the pride and admiration we have for our country.
Our National Flag is a powerful emblem of our nation and land. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the significance of 65,000 years of history and culture that has shaped and honoured this country.
Whenever it is flown at home or internationally, whether it be at schools and other institutions, or sporting events such as this year’s Paris Olympics, the National Flag represents a strong, diverse and inclusive Australia with optimism for a robust future.
At the City of Sydney, we fly the Australian National Flag proudly. Australian National Flag Day is a reminder to us that our flag characterises our democratic values and our freedoms and under it we unite both in victory and sorrow.
When we see the flag, it indicates how fortunate we are to be part of this community and it is a symbol of our responsibilities to each other and the environment.
I thank Flag Day Australia for promoting the role and significance of the Australian National Flag.