2020-03-10 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     10 MARCH 2020



2     FLAG PROTOCOL

Author            Customer Service Manager, Jason Pratt
                  Executive Services Department

Index             ECM_21093843

Attachments       1.    Noosa Shire Council Flag Policy


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Customer Service Manager to the Services and Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 10 March 2020 and:
A.    Adopt the Flag Policy as provided at Attachment 1 to the report; and
B.    Authorise staff to make modifications to the existing flagpole at the Tewantin Administration
      building to accommodate the National, State and Aboriginal flags as well as the Noosa flag
      which may be substituted from time to time by commemorative flags with the authorisation
      of the Chief Executive Officer.



REPORT
Council is committed to the respectful and dignified flying of the Australian National Flag and all
other flags in accordance with the Flags Act 1953 and relevant protocols as specified within the
Australian Flags booklet published by the Department of the Prime Minster and Cabinet. Under
these protocols, the Australian flag takes precedence followed by the State flag, the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander flag or other flags, and ensigns or pendants e.g. the Green Noosa Council
flag.

The development of the policy will align council practice to national standards and address a
concern from a community member who called for Council to fly the Aboriginal flag outside the
Tewantin Administration building on a daily basis. Many civic and government offices fly the
Australian National and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags every day. This is viewed as
a positive leadership role by Council to foster community pride in the history and future of Australia.

Council is restricted by the number of flags it can fly at the Tewantin Administration building as the
yardarm on the flag pole is fitted with only three positions. Council currently flies the National flag,
the State flag and the Noosa Council flag. Flying the Aboriginal flag would require either the Noosa
house flag to be displaced or the existing flag pole to be modified to accommodate 4 flags. The
preferred option is to modify the flag pole to accommodate 4 flags recognising that the Noosa
house flag has flown for a significant amount of time and has symbolic meaning to the Noosa
community. The estimated cost of modifying the flag pole is $2,500.


Previous Council Consideration
Nil



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