Topic: Waitangi Day Sparks old "Time to Change the New Zealand Flag?" debate

Is it time to change the NZ flag?

Wikipedia tells us: The current flag was designed and adopted for restricted use in 1869 and became the national flag in 1902.
It is the British Blue Ensign, with a highly stylised representation of the Southern Cross constellation.
It depicts only four of the five stars in the constellation.
Each star varies slightly in size.

The Union Flag in the canton recalls New Zealand's colonial ties to Britain.

With Waitangi Day just around the corner, the debate has arisen once more.

We have flown it for 108 years. Some people feel that the flag should be updated to reflect New Zealand's changing face in the new millenium. Others feel it should represent Maori.

What do you think?

Kia Ora Kall,
Well its Dec2010 and Waitang day is just around the corner again and I've joined the Change the NZ flag debate because I feel its high time we changed it. I love the NZ flag as we all do but being overseas (Aussie) the attachment to the flag is lost because of its similarity. We only recognise the Silver Fern on black in more of a patriotic way and it works! I feel thats the general feeling of NZ expats over here. Maybe our patriotic perspective is stronger being away from home compared to those at home. We tend to grasp anything kiwi and if its good want to be loud and proud but the old flag just does'nt do it justice. Anyway just putting out a feeler out there for discussion. I have submitted a design into the Change the NZ flag forum (fenuasflag.com | Just another WordPress site) but I dont care too much if it does'nt do any good if a referendum was to be held any time soon, any change would be welcome.
Cheers big ears, Fenua

Kia ora Kall.
I have to applaud you for mentioning that we only have 4 stars instead of 5 which is the correct representation of the Southern Cross as in the Australian flag. As you mention in 1869 it was deliberated whether to use 4 or 5 stars and the final decision was that the 4 stars were to represent the 4 points of the compass and not the Southern Cross as we've come to accept. Its mystifying to me how that came about as in 1902 the Australians chose their flag with the correct 5 star Southern Cross representation. Now I know thats gonna stir things up but its worth noting that we have no technical right (symbolic only) in reffering to our 4 stars as the Southern Cross Constellation as its technically incorrect....but the Aussies can! If you look for the S.C. constellation in the sky, there are 3 crosses near each other. The Diamond Cross (4 stars), The False Cross (4 stars) and the Southern Cross (5 stars). The 5th star determines the difference between the 3 formations. Now I don't quote these facts lightly (see link below)

Answers to common questions about the New Zealand Flag | Ministry for Culture and Heritage

because now that I am aware of it, it pisses me off tremendously! It may only be a technicality but it does'nt make it correct. I now feel uncomfortable cos I won't refer to it as the Southern Cross any longer but merely as the 4 points of the compass.
Cheers fenua

Even If you are a minority of ONE, the Truth is still the Truth-Mahatma Ghandi

Originally Posted by fenua

Kia ora Kall.
I have to applaud you for mentioning that we only have 4 stars instead of 5 which is the correct representation of the Southern Cross as in the Australian flag. As you mention in 1869 it was deliberated whether to use 4 or 5 stars and the final decision was that the 4 stars were to represent the 4 points of the compass and not the Southern Cross as we've come to accept. Its mystifying to me how that came about as in 1902 the Australians chose their flag with the correct 5 star Southern Cross representation. Now I know thats gonna stir things up but its worth noting that we have no technical right (symbolic only) in reffering to our 4 stars as the Southern Cross Constellation as its technically incorrect....but the Aussies can! If you look for the S.C. constellation in the sky, there are 3 crosses near each other. The Diamond Cross (4 stars), The False Cross (4 stars) and the Southern Cross (5 stars). The 5th star determines the difference between the 3 formations. Now I don't quote these facts lightly (see link below)

Answers to common questions about the New Zealand Flag | Ministry for Culture and Heritage

because now that I am aware of it, it pisses me off tremendously! It may only be a technicality but it does'nt make it correct. I now feel uncomfortable cos I won't refer to it as the Southern Cross any longer but merely as the 4 points of the compass.
Cheers fenua