Flags Amendment Act 1981

No. 9 of 1981

An Act to amend the Flags Act 1953

[Assented to 25 March 1981]

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen, and the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:

Short title, &c.

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Flags Amendment Act 1981.

(2) The Flags Act 19531 is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

Commencement

2. This Act shall come into operation on the day on which the Shipping Registration Act 1981 comes into operation.

3. Sections 3 and 4 of the Principal Act are repealed and the following sections are substituted:

The Australian National Flag

“3. The blue flag described in Schedule 1, being the flag a reproduction of which is set out in Part I of Schedule 2, is declared to be the Australian National Flag.

The Australian Red Ensign

“4. The red flag described in Schedule 1, being the flag a reproduction of which is set out in Part II of Schedule 2, shall be known as the Australian Red Ensign.”.

First Schedule

4. The First Schedule to the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by omitting—

“FIRST SCHEDULE Section 3

the australian national flag”

and substituting—

“SCHEDULE 1 Section 3 and 4

the australian national flag and the australian red ensign”; and

(b) by omitting clause 1 and substituting the following clauses:

“1. The Australian National Flag is a blue flag, and the Australian Red Ensign is a red flag, the design of each of which is specified in clause 1a.

“1a. Each of the flags referred to in clause 1 has—

(a) the Union Jack occupying the upper quarter next the staff;

(b) a large white star (representing the 6 States of Australia and the Territories) in the centre of the lower quarter next the staff and pointing direct to the centre of St. George’s Cross in the Union Jack, as specified in Table A; and

(c) 5 white stars (representing the Southern Cross) in the half of the flag further from the staff, as specified in Table B.”.

Formal amendments

5. The Principal Act is amended as set out in the Schedule.

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SCHEDULE Section 5

FORMAL AMENDMENTS

NOTE

1. No. 1, 1954. For previous amendments, see No. 58, 1954 and No. 216, 1973.