Drury joins national panel on flag

Rod Drury says he has no firm view on whether a new flag is needed.

Havelock North businessman Rod Drury will be one of 12 people on a panel discussing a new national flag.

He was invited to be part of the Flag Consideration Panel by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, a member of a cross-party group of MPs overseeing the project.

The panel will hold its first meeting in early March when it will consider a public engagement process to begin in May.

Alternative flag designs will be invited, to be shortlisted for a postal referendum.

In a second referendum people will be asked to choose either the winning design or the current New Zealand flag.

"This process will give New Zealanders the rare privilege of having a say on one of the most important symbols of our nation," Mr English said.

Mr Drury, a successful serial entrepreneur and head of accounting software company Xero, said as an exporter he realised the importance of good national branding, as well as heritage.

"We run a business in the UK and we are conscious of trying to hold on to that relationship but also very conscious we are an independent country as well.

"I'm actually quite looking forward to the discussion because a lot of our challenge, as a brand, is how New Zealand we are - are we a global or New Zealand company."

He said he would be an impartial panel voice.

"I don't really have a firm view either way - it is not something I am emotionally engaged with."

The other 11 panel members come from a wide cross-section of society.

It will be chaired by former deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Canterbury, Professor John Burrows, who was co-chair of the Constitutional Advisory Panel.

Writer and reviewer Kate de Goldi of Wellington will be the deputy chair of the panel.

Other panel members are:

Nicky Bell " CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and board director, Auckland.

Peter Chin, CNZM " Former Mayor of Dunedin, director and trustee, Dunedin.

Julie Christie, ONZM " Director of Julie Christie Inc. and board member, Auckland.

Beatrice Faumuina, ONZM " Olympian, Commonwealth gold medallist, ASB Head of Talent & People Strategy, board member and trustee, Auckland.

Lt Gen (Rtd) Rhys Jones, CNZM " Former Chief of NZ Defence Force, Wellington.

Stephen Jones " Invercargill Youth Councillor, Invercargill.

Sir Brian Lochore, ONZ, KNZM, OBE " Former All Blacks captain, coach and administrator, Masterton.

Malcolm Mulholland " Academic and flag historian, Palmerston North.

Hana O'Regan " Academic, Maori studies and te reo Maori, Christchurch.

The estimated cost of the project is $25.7 million over two years.