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Does an inverted flag mean a sign of distress in Australia? (piefed.social)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/australia@aussie.zone
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[–] 15 points 5 months ago (1 child)

I see someone waving an upside down Aussie flag - or indeed waving it in any orientation outside of a sports event - and I recognise the waver is most likely a fucking right wing nutter

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    • [–] 14 points 5 months ago (6 children)

    The upside-down thing is not exclusive to the USA flag. Regarding the Australian flag:

    To fly a flag upside down is a signal of distress. The Australian National Flag should not, therefore, be displayed with the Union Jack down on any occasion except as a signal of distress.

    So it's kinda displaying an "SOS" when you don't actually need assistance, I guess?

    But as with all symbology, it gets constantly resemantified by the circumstances. Given this article it seems that it's starting to become a bit of a cooker thing: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-11/upside-down-flags-protest-regional-victorians/106592092

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (3 children)

    To fly a flag upside down is a signal of distress. The Australian National Flag should not, therefore, be displayed with the Union Jack down on any occasion except as a signal of distress.

    Please cite claims such as this. It is contradicted by the government.

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

    https://www.pmc.gov.au/honours-and-symbols/australian-national-symbols/australian-national-flag/australian-national-flag-protocols

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago* (2 children)

    The quote is direct from the ANZAC Day Commemoration Commitee: https://anzacday.org.au/the-australian-national-flag

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    Thanks for that. Now this is fascinating, I'd just expect for a commitee like that, and one claiming to be around since 1916 at that, not to overlook (or diverge from) that part of the government protocol.

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    I'm just spitballing now but the Government might be implying "you are probably a civilian reading this and deciding when it's a distress situation is up to military personnel"? No idea, frankly.

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    • [–] 5 points 5 months ago*

    Not technically, but yes. I believe it's inherited from US politics (regardless of if the protocol started there or not). Australian government protocols prohibit inverting the flag, even as a signal of distress.

    See also, the use of the red ensign by the Australian sovereign citizen cookers - these "freedom"/"patriot" activists are largely derivative of international far-right influences.

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