The New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet advises that a State Funeral Service for Mr John Raper will be held at 10:30 am on Monday 28 February 2022, at Sydney Cricket Ground, Moore Park, Sydney, New South Wales.
Mr Raper made his first-grade rugby league debut for Newtown in 1957 at just 17 years of age. In a career that spanned nearly two decades, he became widely regarded as one of the best rugby league players the world has ever known. He played 215 first-grade premiership games, and won eight consecutive Grand Finals. Mr Raper played 39 Tests for Australia, captaining the team eight times in 1967 and 1968.
Mr Raper won the Clive Churchill Medal in 1966; was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1980 for Australian Sports; was named an Immortal in 1981; was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985; was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for Australian sporting achievements; inducted into the Australian Rugby League and International Hall of Fame in 2002; and named in Team of the Century in 2008.
As a mark of mourning and respect, and in accordance with protocol, the Australian National Flag should be flown at half-mast all day on Monday 28 February 2022 in New South Wales only from all buildings and establishments occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies. Other organisations are welcome to participate.
- When flying the Australian National Flag with other flags, all flags in the set should be flown at half-mast.
- If a set of flags includes the flags of other nations, it would be appropriate to seek permission from the diplomatic representatives of that nation to half-mast their flag.
- An acceptable half-mast position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.
- Information on flag protocol is available at http://www.pmc.gov.au/flag.
Your assistance is appreciated.
Commonwealth Flag Officer