New Zealand Flag: Voting opens in first round of referendum on flag future

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...eferendum.html

Voting opens in New Zealand flag referendum

New Zealanders being asked to choose between flag designs with winner to be pitted against existing flag in second referendum

New Zealanders began voting Friday to select a potential new flag as the South Pacific country considers dropping Britain's Union Jack from its national banner. Voters are being asked to choose between five flag options in a postal referendum that will continue until December 11.

The winning design will then go head-to-head with the existing flag in a second referendum to be held in March next year. Prime Minister John Key has made the flag reform issue a pet project since his conservative government won a third term late last year. He sees the current flag, with the Union Jack in the corner, as an anachronism, arguing the country needs a standard "that screams New Zealand".

Key has also expressed frustration the flag – which features four red stars representing the Southern Cross on a dark blue background – is frequently confused with Australia's. Four of the five designs in the first referendum feature the fern, the informal national emblem. The fifth, dubbed "Red Peak", consists of red, black and blue triangles with a white chevron. It was a late addition to the line up after a social media campaign for its inclusion.

An opinion poll last month predicted a design featuring a white fern on a red and blue background would win the first referendum. But separate polling suggests the existing flag is likely to decisively win the second referendum in March with about 65 per cent of the vote.

My favourite of the newly proposed flags is option B purely because it is closest the existing flag. If I were voting though I would pick in the first referendum the least popular flag according to the opinion polls (or second most unpopular) in order to ensure a weaker as possible design goes up against the existing flag and then loses. By all means according to the opinion polling, the existing flag - which contains the history of New Zealand - is likely to win.

You don't change your flag just because it is somehow 'dated' (why so anyway?). Indeed a flag should be all about the history of your nation and often the best flags are those which are older and were not designed in the modern era: think of Britain's Union flag, America's Stars and Stripes, Australia's Commonwealth star and the Nordic crosses of the Scandenavian kingdoms.

Thoughts?

[dbgtz]

What the hell is up with option C and E? I'd probably go for B given the choice. Will be curious to see which flag wins in the 2nd referendum.

[Lucy]

I agree in the sense that the flag is all about your history, I don't see the point in changing it. If they were to change it I think Option B would be the likely choice.

[Red]

It's really similar to Aussie flag so I can see how they don't think it best represents their identity I like number 2.. The fern leaf is really nice but still has elements of the old flag.

[Expling]

changing it sounds really weird
and god damn id hate to be in a new zealand primary school if option b was used cos i remember when my teacher use to make you draw the british flag ahhaha

but yes i like option b

[FlyingJesus]

What's that swirly thing meant to be that's not a flag that's a bad exercise in vector graphics

Whole thing seems a bit pointless tbh like most referenda that go ahead, waste of time and resources just to appease a few people who seem to want change for the sake of change without even having a united opinion on what they want things to change to

[-:Undertaker:-]

If they had to change - again I wouldn't - I don't see why they can't just place a white fern instead of the red southern cross stars.

Similar to the original proposal for Canada when it decided to change its flag in the 1960s. I think this proposal below was much better than the current Maple Leaf.

Original Flag of Canada



Proposal for new Canada flag after World War II



End result



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Here's one I would be tempted to vote for but which the government didn't put on the ballot. I reckon that'd have come first in round 1 easily.

[Lucy]

Undertaker, not sure if your in New Zealand but I believe the point of this referendum is because they want to remove the connection to the Union Jack. However if you are in New Zealand, then I just feel stupid.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Undertaker, not sure if your in New Zealand but I believe the point of this referendum is because they want to remove the connection to the Union Jack. However if you are in New Zealand, then I just feel stupid.

That's what the Prime Minister has said but as stated in the article, most New Zealanders don't want to change the flag and in Australia it's even more of a non-issue as the flag is immnesely popular there. I just was addressing the "it can be confused for Australia/isn't distinctive enough" argument because you could settle for that fern design which would be a change but wouldn't fundamentally change the flag. I reckon had the Key government accepted designs like the above with the Union flag on then there would have been a change as let's be honest about it and the experts will tell you this aswell: the Union flag is one of the best designs if not the best in the world in terms of design and being an icon.

Does anyone agree with me that the gold leaf design that was proposed for Canada is better than what they ended up with?

[Alkaz]

Considering how 'simple' flags look these days, the current design was the best one as it fits the best I think. I do however like the original union flag proposal.