Audrey Young: Bolger hopes NZ mature enough to change flag

New Zealand and Vietnamese flags displayed together mark John Key's visit to his counter-part in Hanoi, Nguyen Tan Dung. Photo / Audrey Young

Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger says it is time to change the New Zealand flag and he hopes New Zealand has "the maturity" to do it and to look forward and not back.

The first of a two-part referendum of the flag begins on Friday and Mr Bolger said he would be voting for the silver fern with the Southern Cross.

The referendum, which runs until December 11, asks voters to rank five alternatives. The most popular one from the preferential voting system will be pitted against the current flag in a second referendum in March.

Mr Bolger made his comments this week while in Vietnam, where dozens of New Zealand flags flew among Vietnamese ones to mark the official visit of Prime Minister John Key to Hanoi.

"I just hope New Zealanders ... look forwards and say, yes we need a new flag looking forward," Mr Bolger said. "I think New Zealand has maturity now to identify ourselves with something that is totally New Zealand-oriented.

"Clearly the fern is the symbol. I'll vote for the flag which has blue and black."

"There are very few flags around the world that have the Union Jack stuck in the corner recognising they are part of the former British Empire - colonial cousins as it were. So [it's] time for change."

In his capacity as chancellor of Waikato University, Mr Bolger, 80, an avowed republican, led the trade delegation accompanying Mr Key to Vietnam.

He has stayed active since being ousted as Prime Minister by Jenny Shipley in 1997, first as ambassador to the United States, then as chairman of New Zealand Post. He has remained involved in the Treaty of Waitangi settlements process, which was initiated under his leadership, and became chancellor in 2007.

He is occasionally a special envoy of Mr Key and spent time lobbying countries of central Asia and much of the former Soviet Union for New Zealand's successful bid for a Security Council seat. He also represented Mr Key at a summit of the Asia-Europe (Asem) meeting in Milan.

"There were 50 prime ministers, presidents and me."

As Prime Minister, Mr Bolger opened New Zealand's embassy in Hanoi about 20 years ago and an office in Ho Chi Minh City.

"It's great to be back and see the progress the country has made."