New Zealand confirms referendum to be held over flag

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/...ern-referendum

New Zealand to hold referendum after this years General Election on future of the flag

From left to right: the New Zealand flag, the Australian flag and the British flag.

NEW ZEALAND is to vote on whether to change its national flag, which currently features the Union Flag alongside a depiction of the Southern Cross.

John Key, the country's prime minister, said the current flag "symbolises a colonial and post-colonial era whose time has passed", and promised a referendum on whether to abandon it within the next three years.

"I am proposing that we take one more step in the evolution of modern New Zealand by acknowledging our independence through our flag," he said in Wellington.

The New Zealand Herald reported that MPs would now decide on how the referendum would be run, and "an independent steering group would ensure that the public was consulted and was able to contribute design ideas".

Although no definitive new design has yet been proposed, Key has previously said that he would prefer a silver fern leaf on a black background, similar to the motif used by the All Blacks rugby side and other New Zealand sports teams.

The Guardian says that the prime minister's announcement is likely to receive cross-party support.

"Early indications from the main opposition leaders, who have criticised the prime minister's past flirtations with a change in the flag as an attempt to distract attention from issues such as inequality, are that they will support the process outlined," the paper reported

Even so, Key may not get the result he is hoping for in any future referendum. A poll carried out for a New Zealand TV station last month found that only 28 per cent of people who expressed an opinion wanted a new flag.

And today, a much less scientific poll running on the New Zealand Herald's website shows 45 per cent in favour of keeping the existing flag, 35 per cent in favour of a change and 20 per cent saying their answer would depend on what the new flag looked like.

I hope and do think they will vote to retain the present flag. There's nothing wrong with it, it looks good, is a record of their history and thousands of New Zealanders have died under that flag. The Silver Fern flag on the other hand is a sporting icon - why would you want a sporting logo as your country's flag? Judging by the polls, the public do not.

Thoughts?

[The Don]

The only reason you want them to keep it is because it has the union jack on it

[Chippiewill]

I think they should change it, would give them a bit more national identity.

[Aiden]

i like the union jack so i think they should keep it lol

does it matter rlly tho

its just gonna make online people have to change all the flags and stuff lol

and all them text books too

[-:Undertaker:-]

The only reason you want them to keep it is because it has the union jack on it

Not just that, I like flags with a bit of history in...... much better than boring tricolours that politcians just sat down and invented.

I think they should change it, would give them a bit more national identity.

Their national identity is wrapped up in that flag. The Union flag to symbolise the founding, the southern cross symbolises it's place in the world and also it's relationship with neighbouring Australia (which is nearly became a part of) and it's the flag that they flew during both world wars.

The Black Fern? A sports flag.

[Chippiewill]

Eh.. it just looks like the australian flag and makes it look like we own New Zealand or something.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Eh.. it just looks like the australian flag and makes it look like we own New Zealand or something.

In that case a lot of countries would have to change their flags..... Scotland should change as they share theirs with Tenerife, Poland should change as it shares with Indonesia, Italy and Mexico, Chad and Romania...... there's loads that are similar. I never confuse it with Australia.

Everybody knows New Zealand is sovereign. It seems like the New Zealand politicians have an inferiority complex over this non-issue.

[karter]

John Key, the country's prime minister, said the current flag "symbolises a colonial and post-colonial era whose time has passed"

YASS good job NZ i 100% support this

[e5]

It's very similar to the aus flag, so I'd probably vote to change it lol but as people said alot of history has happened under that flag, but so what, things change.

[lemons]

well i couldn't care less but the proposed flag looks so ugly!