Media Release

KAP Leader and the Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter MP is assisting the Kennedy electorate to celebrate Australian National Flag Day on Wednesday September 3, 2014.

Australian National Flag Day celebrates the first time the flag was flown over the dome of the exhibition building in Melbourne in 1901, when Australia’s first Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Sir Edmund Barton announced the winners of a competition to design a national flag for Australia.

On September 3 all Australians are encouraged to fly or display the Australian National Flag; be they community organisations, local authorities, businesses, schools and individuals.

Mr Katter believes the Australian flag is a symbol of national pride and patriotism and reminds us that many people have gone to war for that flag, including members of his own family.

“People tell me that I am very patriotic and I’ve reflected on why that is –I think it started at school.

“The principal of the Cloncurry School, where I went to primary school, had assembly every day and we would stand in front of the Australian flag and sing - God Bless our lovely morning land. God keep her with thy unfolding hand – Australia,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter urges the community groups and schools to take some time out on September 3 to remember those that have died for the flag.

“My 10 grandchildren had four of their forbearers at Gallipoli. My own great grandfather and my grandmother's brother did not last long after being released from a Changi prisoner camp. Many people have died under that flag,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter believes you don’t necessarily have to have been born in Australia to be patriotic about the Australian Flag and urges new citizens to Australia to make National Australia Day a day to reflect upon the lucky country in which they now reside.

“If you have lived in the country for two minutes, consider yourself Australian and may your patriotism burn just as brightly as that of we older and original Australians,” Mr Katter said.

Take a photo of your community group on Flag Day and email it to Bob’s office to be featured in the Australian Flag Day album on Bob’s Facebook page. Send your photo in by September 5 to be added to the album.

The best photo will be featured in Bobs newsletter. Send your Flag Day photos to bob.katter.mp@aph.gov.au

You can read more about the history of the Australian National Flag at www.itsanhonour.gov.au.

If you are a community organisation, school, local council or government department and require a new Australian flag for this purpose – please contact our Innisfail office on (07) 4061 6066 or our Mount Isa office on (07) 4743 3534 to request a new flag.

Also, separately, if required, our office can supply the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander flags