We will soon be hearing about the Silver Fern and two flag referendums taking place in New Zealand.
Following his re-election, Prime Minister John Key will fulfil a pledge made in March 2014 to hold a referendum on changing the national flag.
Led by ‘respected New Zealanders’, a public consultation period will run from May until November.
A shortlist of three or four proposed designs will then compete against the current flag this coming November or December.
If no flag gains over 50 per cent of the votes, a second round in April 2016 will pit the current flag against the most popular new proposal.
For those who want a change, the Silver Fern flag (right) appears to be the favoured alternative.
Critics complain that the silver fern on black leans too heavily towards New Zealand sports teams – the All Backs, Black Caps and Silver Ferns among them – and that it also resembles the Jolly Roger.
Other leading designs are James Bowman’s ‘Koru Fern’, and one based on Kyle Lockwood’s 2004 design.
Arguments for a new flag
- The current flag is too similar to the Australian flag
- It doesn’t represent New Zealand’s status as an independent nation
- It contains no Māori representation
Arguments against a new flag
- The current design dates back to 1869 and has been the national flag since 1902
- It represents the links between New Zealand and the UK
- The Southern Cross represents New Zealand’s location on Earth
- New Zealanders have fought and died under the flag, which first flew in battle on HMS Achilles during the battle of the River Plate (1939).
The latest opinion polls suggest that the current New Zealand flag will win the referendum.
Send us your thoughts on the New Zealand flag debate.
We’d also love to see any designs you may have for flags, New Zealand or otherwise.
Author: Alex Crouch, Flag Institute accredited journalist (2015/16).
Perhaps a design like the canton of the United Tribes flag could work? 💡
A nice thought, but perhaps a little too similar to England’s flag for those who want to change New Zealand’s based on its Union Flag portion.
The Silver Fern on a black field could not possibly represent any country other than New Zealand. Therefore the concept is very appropriate (as is the Maple Leaf for Canada).
However to conform with the rules for good flag design the obverse and reverse should be identical i.e. the silver fern would need to be vertical instead of angled as it is on the All Blacks jersey.
I personally think that a black and white flag on this model has design merit, but it may from a great distance be mistaken for a terrorist flag from a distance, the reason being the black/white repeated colour. Furthermore, if many thousands gave willingly their lives for the current Flag, why change it?
Thousands didnt give their lives for our flag…..they fought for adventure and nationalism. My grandad is buried in Belgium, his RNZAF gravestone is marked with the silver fern not a union jack emblem. I for one cant stand our flag however I along with thousands of other kiwis have no hesitation at flying the silver fern on black.
I think the Silver Fern on black would have to used a canton on flags such as the naval, civil and air ensigns – I cant see how it could stand as an ensign in its own right.
Likewise with defence service colours and a whole host of other domestic flags.
Coming up with a ‘popular’ basic design doesn’t necessarily fulfill a whole nation’s flag needs.
Black flags are for Pirates and ISIS!