What is the meaning of the Australian flag?

The Stars. The Commonwealth Star is the emblem of Australian Federation. Six points represent the states and the seventh all the federal territories which together constitute the nation, the Commonwealth of Australia. The constellation of the Southern Cross indicates our geographical location in the southern hemisphere ...

1. What is the meaning behind Australia's flag?
2. What do the 5 stars on the Australian flag represent?
3. What does it mean when the Australian flag is upside down?
4. Why should the Australian flag be changed?
5. Is Australia changing its flag?
6. What do the 6 stars mean on the Australian flag?
7. Does Australia have two flags?
8. What is the Australian flag with red background?
9. What happens if the Australian flag touches the ground?
10. Why is the Australian flag flying at half mast today?
11. What is the White Australian flag?
12. What is wrong with the Australian flag?
13. Do Australia and New Zealand have the same flag?
14. Why did the Australian flag change from red to blue?
15. Who owns the rights to the Australian flag?
16. Why are New Zealand and Australian flags so similar?
17. Are Australian British?

What is the meaning behind Australia's flag?

Symbolism. The flag has three elements on a blue background: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. ... Below the Union Jack is a white Commonwealth, or Federation, star. It has seven points representing the unity of the six states and the territories of the Commonwealth of Australia.

What do the 5 stars on the Australian flag represent?

The five white stars of the fly of the flag represent the Southern Cross. The Southern Cross (or Crux) is the brightest constellation visible in the Southern Hemisphere and has been used to represent Australia and New Zealand since the early days of British settlement.

What does it mean when the Australian flag is upside down?

Do not fly the flag upside down, even as a signal of distress.

Why should the Australian flag be changed?

National flags do change over time, usually reflecting a major change in the country's constitutional arrangements or government. Advocates of change in Australia believe that another flag design would be more effective in representing Australia than the current flag.

Is Australia changing its flag?

A dark blue, forward moving, kangaroo silhouetted against a golden sky has replaced the Union Jack and Federation Star featured on the current Australian Flag. ... The white stars of the Southern Cross are reversed out of a blue field, which is unchanged from the current flag.

What do the 6 stars mean on the Australian flag?

The Stars. The Commonwealth Star is the emblem of Australian Federation. Six points represent the states and the seventh all the federal territories which together constitute the nation, the Commonwealth of Australia. The constellation of the Southern Cross indicates our geographical location in the southern hemisphere ...

Does Australia have two flags?

Australia has three official flags: the Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag. Each state of territory also has its own flag.

What is the Australian flag with red background?

The Australian Red Ensign is an official flag of Australia and is proclaimed under the Flags Act 1953. The Australian Red Ensign is generally only flown at sea by Australian registered merchant ships or on land by organisations and individuals for ceremonial purposes such as Merchant Navy Day.

What happens if the Australian flag touches the ground?

The Australian National Flag should fly on the left of a person facing the flags, when it is flown with one other national flag; ... Do not fly the flag if it is damaged, faded or dilapidated; Do not allow the flag to fall or lie on the ground or be used as a cover, although it can be used to cover a coffin at a funeral.

Why is the Australian flag flying at half mast today?

On Remembrance Day, 11 November 2021, New South Wales Government departments and agencies are asked to observe the protocol to fly the Australian National Flag and New South Wales Flag at half-mast to remember the sacrifice of all those who have died for Australia. Other organisations are welcome to participate.

What is the White Australian flag?

The Australian white ensign is an Australian National Flag with a white background. It is flown from the stern of naval vessels. The Australian National Flag is flown from the bow. The Royal Australian Air Force ensign was adopted in 1948.

What is wrong with the Australian flag?

The flag is not distinctive because it contains the national flag of another country in a position of prominence. In particular, the flag is difficult to distinguish from a variety of flags based on the British Blue Ensign, most notably the national flag of New Zealand and the state flag of Victoria.

Do Australia and New Zealand have the same flag?

The flag is (somewhat) different

BUT the Australian flag has two extra stars – a small one near the cross and a big one under the Union Jack. Meanwhile, New Zealand's flag has just four stars but they are red with a white outline. Yes, the difference between the Aussie and NZ flag are small, but they are important.

Why did the Australian flag change from red to blue?

More republican-minded publications and individuals thought the Union Jack was inappropriate, Despite having been flown since 1901, the flag only became official with the Flags Act 1953. ... With the Act, the blue version became the Australian national flag, and the red version used only for maritime use.

Who owns the rights to the Australian flag?

Australian National Flag Rights and Significance

Usage of our flag is shared with Government though, unlike the National Coat of Arms, the Australian National Flag is owned by the people exclusively, under law, through the Commonwealth Flags Act.

Why are New Zealand and Australian flags so similar?

Why do New Zealand and Australia use a similar pattern of stars on their flags? Both Australia and New Zealand chose the Southern Cross constellation for their flags. The stars on the Australian Flag are white and have more points than the New Zealand Flag to show their brightness in the sky.

Are Australian British?

Far more Australians are descended from assisted immigrants than from convicts, the majority being British and Irish. About 20 percent of Australians are descendants of convicts. Most of the first Australian settlers came from London, the Midlands and the North of England, and Ireland.