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No, that won't fly: New Zealand says no to the new flag




New Zealanders voted to reject a change in their national flag – they will retain the flag with the Union Jack in the top left corner. A flag competition over two years produced five contenders in a vote from November to December 2015. The winning flag competed with the current flag in the final round of voting in March 2016. The competition was launched to address people’s suggestion for a distinctive flag tht was not confused with the Australian flag, and that was not linked to the British Union Jack.

The current 'old' flag (below) has Britain’s Union Jack symbol and the four stars of the United Tribes of New Zealand (similar to Australia’s flag, which has five stars). The New Zealand flag, adopted in 1834 and chosen by Maori chiefs, included the Union Jack in 1902 – 62 years after it joined the British colonies in 1840. The country ceased to be a British colony in 1907.



The flag design competition attracted 10,292 entries, which was reduced to 40 and then five for voting. Kyle Lockwood designed the winning alternative flag, which competed with the current flag. It is black and blue with the national silver fern leaf, retaining the four stars (below).



The 67.3% total voter response represented 2,119,953 voters in the decison managed by the New Zealand Electoral Commission. The preliminary results of a postal referendum show 56.7% of voters prefer the current flag and 43.3% want to switch to a new flag. The  kiwi (their national bird) and the alternative flag won’t fly, because New Zealand says no to the new flag and yes to the old.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/world/new-zealand-flag-referendum-kiwis-vote-to-keep-current-flag-20160324-gnqpm7.html


MARTINA NICOLLS is the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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