Herald readers back flag redesign

Herald readers favour changing the New Zealand flag, according to a new survey.

And their favoured option for a replacement resembles the Maori independence flag which has been flown in protest at Waitangi Day.

Nearly half the 2518 Herald readers who responded to a voluntary online survey - 45.6 per cent - said they wanted New Zealand to change its national flag.

A further 28 per cent wanted the flag to stay as it is.

Those who wanted a change were asked to choose their favoured replacement from 15 designs being promoted by the group seeking a petition on the issue.

While 28 per cent said they did not like any of the designs, three strong contenders emerged.

The most popular, with 21 per cent support, was a red, white and black flag by designer Jeffy James using a koru and the Southern Cross.

James, an Auckland illustrator, has said the Southern Cross in his flag acknowledged New Zealand's geographical position, the past and remembered those who had defended their country.

He said the colours built on New Zealand's strong existing identification, primarily through sporting achievements.

A fifth generation New Zealander, James also said the colours echoed the tino rangatiratanga flag, which he respected.

The next most popular, with 16 per cent support, was designed by artist Dick Frizzell and depicts the Southern Cross and a background of blue-and-white waves.
The only other flag to get significant attention in the survey was the stylised silver fern put forward by Wellington businessman Lloyd Morrison, who has organised the campaign to change the flag.

But none of the designs impressed Sir Edmund Hillary who, in response to a Weekend Herald inquiry, said he had not seen any that were better than the existing flag, with which he was quite happy.

Many comments from the survey concurred with Sir Edmund's point that "if it ain't broken don't fix it", but others strongly felt it was time for a change.

Many respondents said that New Zealand had to remember its British heritage and the flag was historically valuable, and was not to be changed on a whim.

Jo Coughan, spokeswoman for the group pushing for change, nzflag.com trust, said the survey results were in line with other polls which supported the trend towards changing the flag.

"I am pleased people are considering the issue seriously."

The trust is seeking 300,000 signatures to force a referendum at the next election to have the flag changed.

The flag question received one of the strongest responses yet to a Herald readers panel survey, and 94 per cent of those who replied said they were aware of the campaign.