Australia won’t lower flags for Madiba
Unlike many other countries, Australia's national flag on Parliament House remained at full-mast on Friday.
The country could be the odd one out in not showing respect to Nelson Mandela by not lowering their flags to half-mast.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet confirmed on Friday the Australian flag – including the huge one above Parliament House – was to be lowered for the funeral of a head of state of another country with which Australia has diplomatic relations, but not for the funeral of a former head of state.
However, on Friday the flags at Downing Street and the White House were already at half-mast as a sign of respect for the death of the global icon.
United States President Barack Obama ordered that American flags on US government buildings, ships at sea and installations be lowered to half-mast through to sunset on Monday, in a rare honour for a foreign leader.
On Friday flags were lowered to half-mast at diplomatic missions in Canberra at the High Commissions of New Zealand and Canada.
