Canning Colonialism: New Zealand to Vote On Scrapping Its Flag

[EC]

Via NBC: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/canning-colonialism-new-zealand-vote-scrapping-its-flag-n52781

New Zealand's political leaders confirmed this week that they will give voters the opportunity to scrap their national flag and come up with a new design.

The current flag features the United Kingdom's Union Jack in the top left corner, and ditching it would be a symbolic moment the Pacific nation's historical relationship with the former British Empire.

Unlike the United States, which severed London's rule by winning the Revolutionary War, New Zealand is still part of an international community of former British colonies known as the Commonwealth.

Like Canada it still counts Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state and she appears on coins and the New Zealand $20 note.

Image: New Zealand's flag Nick Perry / AP
Victor Gizzi, left, and David Moginie, managers at flag manufacturer Flagmakers, pose next to flags of New Zealand, left, and Australia, in their factory near Wellington, New Zealand on March 3, 2014.
Trying to change New Zealand's 'brand'

Prime Minister John Key announced on Tuesday that if his National Party wins again in September's general election, he would hold a referendum on the question within three years, something with which his opposition parties agreed.

He told an audience at the Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand's capital, that the design represented a bygone colonial era.

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

But some, including Labour leader David Cunliffe, criticized the timing of the announcement, describing it as a ploy to solidify support ahead of the election and distract from other issues such as the country's rising income inequality.

"John Key is like a matador waving a flag to get the bull to charge toward it rather than going for him," said Simon Leyton, a history professor at Britain's Cambridge University.

More at link.

[olde north church]

What else are you going to put on a New Zealand flag?  A kiwi?  A Maori sea goddess?  The Aussies grabbed the Southern Cross, quite rightly.

[EC]

A sheep?

[PzLdr]

A sheep?

A Hobbit

[Oceander]

kiwi center with a maori and white person standing either side

certainly the kiwis should be revising their flag; right now it looks like a second-rate version of the aussie flag and, as we all know, kiwis aren't aussies and if you confuse the two, the kiwis will make sure you don't make that mistake again (the aussies'll just laugh).


Current NZ flag:

Current OZ flag:

while it does pose some delicate political issues, perhaps the current maori flag should be incorporated into the new NZ flag:

the fly in the ointment, of course, is that this flag has also been used in maori protests against "anglo" government; however, it has been flown alongside, but subservient to, the NZ flag on Waitangi day, so it cannot be wholly offensive to non-maori kiwis.  Also, it appears that the national colors of NZ are red, black, and white - blue is no longer (if it ever was) - so it would be fitting to go with just those colours.

[olde north church]

kiwi center with a maori and white person standing either side

certainly the kiwis should be revising their flag; right now it looks like a second-rate version of the aussie flag and, as we all know, kiwis aren't aussies and if you confuse the two, the kiwis will make sure you don't make that mistake again (the aussies'll just laugh).


Current NZ flag:

Current OZ flag:

while it does pose some delicate political issues, perhaps the current maori flag should be incorporated into the new NZ flag:

the fly in the ointment, of course, is that this flag has also been used in maori protests against "anglo" government; however, it has been flown alongside, but subservient to, the NZ flag on Waitangi day, so it cannot be wholly offensive to non-maori kiwis.  Also, it appears that the national colors of NZ are red, black, and white - blue is no longer (if it ever was) - so it would be fitting to go with just those colours.

I stand corrected on the NZ Southern Cross thing. 

[Oceander]

Mebbe somet'in' like this:

The coat of arms is the current NZ coat of arms, but with the blue changed to black and the NZ flag on the pole held by the woman on the left removed.

[EC]

I'd leave the flag on her pole.

OK, that sounded smutty.

A small version of the original flag on the coat of arms would tie in nicely with past history.

[Oceander]

I'd leave the flag on her pole.

OK, that sounded smutty.

A small version of the original flag on the coat of arms would tie in nicely with past history.

fair enough.  one could also revise the flag to match the new one, just like the current coat of arms has the current NZ flag on it.

[EC]

Just old fashioned that way. I like national flags to be a nod to the history of the nation.

[Oceander]

Just old fashioned that way. I like national flags to be a nod to the history of the nation.

I agree; but everyone has their own sensibilities.