(NAIDOC Week 6-13 July 2008)
National Theme: “Advance Australia Fair”

Agencies are advised that NAIDOC Week (National Aboriginal & Islander Day Observance Committee) will be celebrated from 6 to 13 July 2008. This year’s NAIDOC theme is “Advance Australia Fair”.

NAIDOC Week celebrations give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people an opportunity to celebrate and share their culture and heritage with the broader Australian community. For further information on NAIDOC visit http://www.naidoc.org.au

Agencies are encouraged to support and release Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff to participate in NAIDOC Week events, as set out in Chapter 6 of the NSW Government Personnel Handbook (6-19.14.6):

“A staff member who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian shall be granted up to one day’s special leave per year to enable the staff member to participate in the National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Commemoration Celebrations. Leave can be taken at anytime during NAIDOC Week, or in the weeks leading up to and after NAIDOC week as negotiated between the supervisor and staff member”.

Agencies are encouraged, where possible, to fly Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander flags during NAIDOC week.

The flags of our Indigenous peoples are not intended to replace the Australian National Flag or the State Flag where there is only one flag pole available to fly a flag.

Where only two flag poles are available, it is at the discretion of the department or agency to determine which flag is flown with the Australian National Flag. The Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag have equal status and may be flown in any order to the right of the Australian National Flag.

The correct protocol for flying other flags adjacent to the Australian National Flag and State Flags is that those flags are flown to the right of the National or State Flags when facing the building with which the flagpoles are associated.

Further information on the protocol on flying all flags can be found at:
http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/about_the_department/
our_structure/state_protocol/flags_and_emblems.

Enquires regarding NAIDOC Week or special leave entitlements should be directed to Julie Moore on (02) 9228 3549.

Robyn Kruk
Director General