War dates no help in flag debate

It is a matter of fact we have a flag process to get through - some might say endure - and hijacking the process with antiquated dates doesn't help. FILE PHOTO

I APPLAUD the Flag Consideration Panel's offer to distribute flags to those who can provide five flag poles - which frequently means local body buildings, glamorous hotels and sports stadiums.

And frankly, I think the flak directed at Wellington City Council over flying the five alternative flags on the anniversary of Passchendaele is completely undeserved. NZ First have joined in the argument by saying no alternative flags should fly from council buildings, because they were built thanks to war veteran ratepayers.

It is inevitable that there will be rather a lot of anniversaries relating to WWI and WWII at the moment, and NZ First, in their press release, have researched nine "significant" dates relating to New Zealand action in both theatres of war. Seven of them I have never heard of.

It is a matter of fact we have a flag process to get through - some might say endure - and hijacking the process with antiquated dates doesn't help.

New Zealand discovered itself as its own nation after these wars. In WWI we blindly followed Britain because we were, essentially, English. In WWII we stood up as defenders of the Commonwealth, and certainly to defend our home country against Japan.

There are dates in war we'll endeavour to remember, but life goes on.

The analogy of assigning extra credit to our war veteran ancestors for the rates they paid to create council buildings is an analogy that could apply to anything that happened post-war. It is far better to consider that people fought for the right to fly any flag we choose, wherever we like, rather than the Nazi swastika or the Japanese Rising Sun.

They died so that we might have the freedom to make choices, as a democracy.

The sacrifice of those who died in war is immeasurable. But the rates paid by those who served in war have no more value than the rates I pay now. When it comes to death and taxes, we are all equal.

I respect the basic question, asked and answered. The Government is asking the country if the flag should be changed. It is waiting for an answer from the nation. A local authority who stands up to demonstrate what the flags look like is being a leader in the community. And they generally have flagpoles to spare.