New Zealand To Hold Flag Referendum In 2016

BBC News ^ | 10/28/2014 | BBC News

[goldstategop]

New Zealand is to hold a binding referendum in 2016 on whether to change the national flag.

The announcement by Prime Minister John Key of the referendum came after his government last month won a third term in a general election.

A panel of "respected New Zealanders" will lead the public discussion on potential designs for a new flag.

Mr Key has previously said he would like to see a new flag featuring a silver fern, on a black background.

That would be similar to the banner already used by many New Zealand teams such as the All Blacks national rugby union team.

[goldstategop]

Political correctness?

Some Commonwealth countries have eliminated the British Ensign. However, I strongly dislike the alternate design. It has no history behind it.

[goldstategop]

If it has to be replaced, I lean towards a green white blue tricolor with the Kiwi in the center of the flag.

[BenLurkin]

I remember when Canada gave up a perfectly good flag and replaced it with a pedestrian Maple leaf design.

[BenLurkin]

“a silver fern, on a black background”

So...basically a Pirate Flag.

[Cen-Tejas]

And what does the “all black” thingy refer to?

I’m trying to not let my mind run away with me!

[lentulusgracchus]

C’mon , Kiwis, don’t fall for it. Left-wing Squealer overpainting everything that is a source of pride and strength, of *national character*, that is old-school KGB Active Measures psywar dung.

Call it what it is, and tell the cabalists, “MERDE!!”

[BenLurkin]

IIRC, much akin to White SOx and Red SOx.

[BigBobber]

The secularists don’t like having crosses on their flag. That’s all this is about.

[MacNaughton]

3 I remember when Canada gave up a perfectly good flag and replaced it with a pedestrian Maple leaf design.

Wasn't that around Canada's 1967 Centennial? My paternal grandmother, born & raised in New Brunswick, married a Maine Yankee & crossed the border to eventually become a U.S. naturalized citizen in ~1941, held a grudge against Ottawa for the rest of her long life (died 2002) for dropping the "union jack".

[Dagnabitt]

If it’s good enough for Hawaii...

[Sioux-san]

http://www.allblacks.com/

A source of great national pride in New Zealand.

[kvanbrunt2]

and it looks stupid. but the current flag is kinda weird too. i’ve been to the island and i have no idea what the four stars represent. the country is basically two big islands with a lot of smaller ones. i have a Waiheke island passport.
at wiki: The Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau (a dependent territory); the Cook Islands and Niue (self-governing states in free association with New Zealand); i guess those are the four stars.

[goldstategop]

Hawaii is the only American state to use the Union Jack in the upper left canton.

[goldstategop]

Four stars allegorically represent the Southern Cross.

Australia has a somewhat different arrangement.

[cynwoody]

Mr Key has previously said he would like to see a new flag featuring a silver fern, on a black background.

Some inscrutable graphic on a black background? Like ISIS?

I recommend they deport (or recall or impeach and remove) this Mr Key.

If they need a new flag, they should start with the upper left quadrant and simplify.

Maybe add some black and yellow in honor of Mr Dotcom.

[skr]

http://nzflag.com/designs_frizzell_old.cfm

In case anyone is interested in some of the designs.

[goldstategop]

This goes over well if one wants to retain the historical connection:

It retains everything Kiwis like about the current flag but removes the association with Great Britain, affirming the concept of a distinctive New Zealand nationhood.

[null and void]

ping

[naturalman1975]

The four stars are a representation of Crux - the Southern Cross - one of the most prominent constellations in the Southern sky that can be seen all year around. Australia has a similar flag (although ours have the five brightest stars of the constellation rather than the four brightest). This debate about changing the flag comes up in Australia periodically - normally from the left - and while what New Zealand does is a matter for New Zealand, there's a pro-flag poem in Australia that is also largely true of New Zealand as well (though not totally):

Our flag bears the stars that shine at night
In our southern sky of blue
And there's a little old flag in the corner
That is part of our heritage too,

It's the English, the Scots and the Irish
Who were sent to the end of the earth
The rogues and the schemers, the doers and dreamers
Who gave modern Australia birth.

And you who are shouting to change it
You don't seem to understand
It's the flag of our laws and language
Not the flag of some far away land

Though, there's plenty who'll tell if you ask them
How when Europe was plunged into night
How that little old flag in the corner
Was a symbol of freedom and light.

It doesn't mean we owe our allegiance
To some forgotten imperial dream
We've got the stars to show where we're going
And the old flag to show where we've been

It's only an old piece of bunting
It's only an old coloured rag
But there's thousands who died for its honour
And fell in defence of our flag.

[Dagnabitt]

Do the liberals running Hawaii know about the Christian saints and Crusaders represented on their flag?