Why New Zealand voters are considering a new flag
New Zealanders began voting today on whether to keep their nation’s current flag, which bears the British union jack, or replace it with a new design of a silver fern.
Here's the current flag:
And the proposed flag:
The New Zealand flag, which has flown for more than a century, features multiple symbols representing the country's former status as a British colony. In addition to the union jack in the upper left corner, it also features four stars of the Southern Cross constellation, paying homage to the country’s former status as a southern outpost of the British Empire.
The silver fern, by contrast, is a popular national symbol, appearing on the country’s $1 coin as well as in numerous military and sporting contexts.
If New Zealand votes in favor of the change, it will not be the first country to replace its flag to distance itself from a colonial past. This summer, Fiji will likely replace its flag, which also contains the union jack, with a new one featuring more indigenous symbolism.
But it appears that a main motivation for New Zealand replacing the flag is actually another issue entirely: It looks a little too similar to Australia’s flag for comfort.
Australia’s flag:
John Key, New Zealand's prime minister, says he has been seated in front of the Australian flag at several international meetings, and the same once happened to former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke on an official state visit in Canada. Just this past summer, New Zealand’s official water polo team was greeted at the world championship with an Australian flag.
Despite the embarrassment, it doesn’t appear that replacing the country’s flag is actually all that popular with New Zealanders. In a poll conducted in February, 70 percent of the population said they were against the change, though 16 percent of those voters specifically only oppose the new silver fern design.
The problem with the new design? It bears an unfortunate likeness to the jihadist black flag flown by ISIS.
New Zealanders will have until March 24 to decide whether the national flag should be changed.