40 potential flag designers announced

The Flag Consideration Panel revealed its long list of designs on Monday, one of which could replace the current flag, consisting of the British Union Jack and the four stars of the Southern Cross.

The head of the Flag Consideration Project, Professor John Burrows said the potential new flag had to be unmistakably from New Zealand “and celebrate us as a progressive, inclusive nation that is connected to its environment and has sense of its past and vision for its future”.

More than 10,000 design options for a new New Zealand flag have now been whittled down to a long-list of 40 possible contenders. There was also some feeling in the New Zealand Parliament that the flag should be changed as part of a broader constitutional review, considering greater independence from Britain, rather than as a standalone token gesture.

The panel selected the final 40 from 10,292 designs suggested.

Cultural, vexillology and art and design experts were asked to review the longlisted designs, and due diligence of all 40 will be carried out, “including robust intellectual property checks”.

“It is important that those designs are timeless, can work in a variety of contexts, are simple, uncluttered, balanced and have good contrast”, adds Professor Burrows.

The panel is now faced with the task of whittling down the longlist of 40 to four designs that will be put to a public vote in a binding referendum in November or December. The winning flag will then go forward to face the current New Zealand flag in the second referendum set for March 2016.

Prime Minister John Key favours changing the flag, claiming the existing design is often mistaken for Australia’s.

Understandably New Zealand is divided on the issue, and many took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the designs.

Five of the flags shortlisted are supported by the “Silver Fern Flag” group, which favours an image of the distinctive fauna on the ensign.

In an open letter jointly signed by all 12 members, the panel said its decision was guided by the input of “thousands of Kiwis across a range of communities told us when they shared what is special to them about New Zealand”.

The legislation setting up the two referendum is going through Parliament at present.

“Like the maple leaf to Canada, the silver fern ‘screams New Zealand”, said Kyle Lockwood, spokesman for Silver Fern Flag.