Student runs his design up the flagpole

POLE POSITION: Cameron Smith says his design maintains "a sense of continuity with our past . . . is simple in its design, and could be easily recognised out of the hundreds of world flags".

A former Wanganui student has thrown his hat into the ring to design a new flag for New Zealand.

Cameron Luke Smith, who studied at the Wanganui School of Design and now studies computer science and Japanese in Auckland, has submitted two designs to the flag committee for consideration.

However, at the same time he is against changing the national flag.

"I think the one we have is pretty good but, looking through the submission gallery, I was kind of disgusted with what I saw."

He thought he would add something "simple and clean" to the mix. He stuck with designs similar to the current flag. Both his designs are red and blue, with one featuring the Southern Cross.

Mr Smith was impressed with only a handful of submissions.

"By and large, I think there's a lot of bad designs in there that I would not be proud of flying."

He joins artist and Rangitikei District Council member Richard Aslett as locals who have put in designs.

Mr Aslett's flag draws on the traditional Southern Cross, tino rangatiratanga and the sporting silver fern.

The Flag Consideration Project began this month with the public invited to suggest flag designs. The period for suggestions will close on July 16 and a panel will select a shortlist of four designs in September.

As of Wednesday morning, 2133 designs had been suggested by submitters in New Zealand and overseas. A postal referendum in November and December will determine the preferred alternative flag.