{"id":"F2008L00202","name":"Proclamation under the Flags Act 1953 (Royal Australian Air Force Ensign)","slug":"proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":72405,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2008L00202-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Proclamation under the Flags Act 1953 (Royal Australian Air Force Ensign)","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nProclamation under the Flags Act 1953\n\nFlags Act 1953\n\nI, PHILIP MICHAEL JEFFERY, Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council and under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953, appoint the flag reproduced in Schedule 1 and described in Schedule 2 to be the ensign of the Australian Air Force and to be known as the Royal Australian Air Force Ensign with effect from 1 January 2008.\n\nSigned and sealed with the  \nGreat Seal of Australia  \non 25 January 2008\n\nP. M. JEFFERY  \nGovernor‑General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command\n\njohn faulkner\n\nCabinet Secretary\n\nSchedule 1 Royal Australian Air Force Ensign\n\n![](image.002.jpeg)\n\nSchedule 2 Description of Royal Australian Air Force Ensign\n\nThe Royal Australian Air Force Ensign is a sky blue flag with a Union Jack occupying the upper quarter next to the staff, with a large white seven‑pointed Commonwealth star in the centre of the lower quarter next to the staff and directly below the centre of the St George Cross in the Union Jack, and five white stars (representing the Southern Cross) and the Australian Air Force roundel in royal blue, white and red in the fly or the half of the flag further from the staff.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This proclamation implements the Flags Act 1953 power to appoint and describe an ensign (see section 5) by naming and specifying the Royal Australian Air Force Ensign (Schedules 1–2) with an effective date. It does not expand or restrict the Act’s statutory power, create new obligations or exemptions, or otherwise alter the legislative scope beyond the appointment and descriptive specification."},"complexity_factors":["Statutory power: instrument exercises a single, specific power under the Flags Act 1953 (section 5).","Formalities: proclamation signed and sealed by the Governor‑General and issued on 25 January 2008 (formal execution requirements present).","Effective date vs signing date: the ensign is declared effective 1 January 2008 despite the proclamation being signed 25 January 2008 (retrospective legal effect potential).","Technical description: the flag’s appearance is defined by positional and heraldic language in Schedule 2 (e.g. 'upper quarter next to the staff', 'centre of the lower quarter', 'fly') requiring precise interpretation for manufacture and display.","Limited regulatory content: no regulatory obligations, penalties, or compliance regime are created—primary effect is naming and descriptive legal recognition (Schedules 1–2).","Stakeholder concentration: direct practical impact is narrow (RAAF, flag producers, protocol/regulatory bodies); broader public/market effects are minimal."],"plain_english_summary":"**Royal Australian Air Force Ensign — appointment and description.** This proclamation, made under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953, appoints and legally defines the Royal Australian Air Force Ensign and makes it the official RAAF flag, effective 1 January 2008. \n\nIt affects the RAAF, flag manufacturers, protocol officers and public bodies that display or regulate flags by fixing the flag’s appearance and legal status; the Governor‑General made the appointment on advice of the Federal Executive Council."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This proclamation performs exactly the function intended by the Flags Act 1953 - to formally appoint official flags. It has not expanded beyond the original statutory purpose of creating a military ensign."},"complexity_factors":["Very short document (approximately 250 words)","Only 1 substantive section with straightforward operative clause","No defined terms section - uses plain descriptive language in Schedule 2","No cross-references to other legislation beyond single citation of Flags Act 1953 section 5","Simple conditional logic: single appointment with fixed effective date","Two schedules containing purely descriptive/visual content rather than legal rules"],"plain_english_summary":"The proclamation formally appoints the Royal Australian Air Force Ensign, effective 1 January 2008, specifying its appearance: sky‑blue field, Union Jack in the canton, a large white seven‑point Commonwealth star, the Southern Cross, and the RAAF roundel on the fly.  \n\nIt legally gives the RAAF a distinct, modern ensign under the Flags Act 1953, affecting the Australian Defence Force’s ceremonial use, bases and aircraft markings."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign","history":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign/history","analysis":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/proclamation-under-the-flags-act-1953-royal-australian-air-force-ensign/documents"}}