Petition to Criminalise the Burning of the Australian National Flag

The Australian National Flag is a recognised symbol of Australia’s sovereignty, democratic system, and shared national identity. It represents the service, sacrifice, and contributions of millions of Australians and is displayed at Parliament House, schools, Defence facilities, and public institutions across the country.

In recent years, the deliberate burning of the Australian flag has occurred during public demonstrations, often as an act intended to provoke division and outrage rather than constructive debate. Many Australians, particularly veterans and service families, find such acts deeply offensive and distressing.

While the Flags Act 1953 recognises the importance of the national flag, it does not provide penalties for deliberate desecration. Other democratic nations have enacted laws to protect their national symbols, recognising that intentional destruction undermines social cohesion.

This petition does not seek to limit free speech or peaceful protest, but to establish reasonable legal boundaries that protect a shared national symbol from deliberate desecration.