How much do we know about the current flag?

Kiwis have spent the past few months wrestling over which design is best for New Zealand's next potential flag - but how much do we actually know about our current one?

In a video produced by Massey University, senior research officer Malcolm Mulholland tracks the origins of New Zealand's Blue Ensign years before it was formally approved in the late 1860s.

"Our current flag came into being in 1869, but the origins of the flag actually happened earlier."

Kiwis will be asked to choose their preferred flag of the five alternative options in a referendum opening next month, before deciding between the chosen design and the current flag in a second referendum in March.