Torres Strait Islander flag
Proportion | 2:3 or 1:2 (here) |
---|---|
Adopted | 14 July 1995 |
Designed by | Bernard Namok |
The Torres Strait Islander flag is the official flag of the
Status
On 14 July 1995, Governor-General Bill Hayden issued a proclamation under section five of the Flags Act 1953 declaring the flag to be "recognised as the flag of the Torres Strait Islander people of Australia and a flag of significance to the Australian nation generally".[1]
An "administrative oversight" caused the 1995 proclamation not to be lodged to continue in force indefinitely; hence, it automatically expired on 1 January 2008. It was therefore almost identically replaced, on 25 January 2008, with retroactive effect as from 1 January.[2]
In the 2008 proclamation, the flag "is recognised as the flag of the Torres Strait Islander people of Australia and a flag of significance to the Australian nation generally" and appointed "to be the flag of the Torres Strait Islander people of Australia and to be known as the Torres Strait Islander Flag". The design is reproduced in Schedule 1 and described in Schedule 2.
Although Namok has since died, the Torres Strait Islander flag is still subject to
Colours
The official colours of the flag of the Torres Strait Islanders are as follows:
Scheme | Green | Blue | Black | White | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pantone | 3288 C or 342 C | 301 C or 280 C | Black C | Safe | [4][5] |
RGB
( Hex )
|
0–153–102
(#009966) |
0–0–153
(#000099) |
0–0–0
(#000000) |
255–255–255
(#FFFFFF) |
[4] |
CMYK | 100%–0%–80%–40% | 100%–70%–0%–0% | 0%–0%–0%–100% | 0%–0%–0%–0% | [4] |
Symbolic meaning
The green panels at the top and the bottom of the flag symbolise the land, while the blue panel in the centre represents the waters of the
Public display
The Torres Strait Islander flag is permanently flown alongside the Australian Aboriginal flag in front of Adelaide Town Hall in Adelaide, South Australia.[7]
Following the 2022 Australian federal election on 21 May 2022, the incoming Anthony Albanese-led Labor government started displaying the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag alongside the national flag at ministerial press conferences.[8] Upon the opening of the new Parliament, both flags began to be displayed in the House of Representatives and Senate chambers.[9]
From 27 May 2022, at the start of
Local flags
Murray Island
-
Flag of Murray Island
The flag of Murray Island, located in the eastern section of the Torres Strait, consists of three vertical stripes: red ochre, white, and black representing the
Saibai Island
-
Flag of Saibai Island
The flag of Saibai Island, situated four kilometres from the nation of Papua New Guinea. It consists of a green triangle symbolizing the land and a dark blue field representing the sea. Within the green triangle there is a yellow leaf, symbolizing peace. Additionally, an eight-pointed star represents Australia. The flag was chosen by members of the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council.[12]
See also
- Flags of Australia
- Ethnic flag
References
- ^ "Flags Act 1953 Proclamation". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (S258). 14 July 1995. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ComLaw. Archivedfrom the original on 17 September 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2014. The only significant change from 1995 is that "Torres Strait Islander flag" has been altered to "Torres Strait Islander Flag".
- ^ "Torres Strait Islander flag". Torres Strait Island Regional Council. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ OCLC 49316140.
- ^ a b Cabinet, Prime Minister and (27 June 2016). "Australian flags". www.pmc.gov.au. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
- ^ Whitford, Maddie (13 April 2020). "Producers reflect on profound experience walking with Indigenous artists on country". ABC News. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- ^ "Australian Aboriginal flag". City of Adelaide. 13 May 2019. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- NITV. Archivedfrom the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ Mahony, Jack (28 July 2022). "Senate President Sue Lines no longer wants the Lord's Prayer read before each sitting day in Parliament". Sky News Australia. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ Opie, Rebecca (27 May 2022). "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags permanently fly at Government House". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "Mer Island (Murray Island) Flag Circa 1980's". Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
- ^ "Saibai Island Flag 2001". Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
Further reading
- Mounter, Brendan (29 May 2021). "Torres Strait Islanders fly the flag for cultural identity on banner day for community". ABC News.
- Torres Strait Islander flag (AIATSIS)
- "Torres Strait Flag". Torres Strait Regional Authority. 22 August 2023.