Australian blunder with NZ flag on Sydney bridge

The New South Wales government has rushed to replace the New Zealand flag being flown over Sydney's Anzac Bridge after an embarrassing mistake was discovered.

The Anzac Bridge was given its name on Remembrance Day in 1998 in honour of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers that fought in World War 1.

The bridge flies both countries' flags, with hundreds of thousands of people driving beneath them every day.

But for the past few weeks there has been a glaring error with the New Zealand flag.

Both the Australian and New Zealand flags feature the Union Jack and the Southern Cross, but on the Kiwi flag the stars that make up the Southern Cross appear to be misshapen.

Footage taken by 7 News show the lowest star has been placed beneath the Union Jack, rather than in a diamond formation with the other stars.

Thousands of motorists drive over the Anzac Bridge in Sydney every day. Photo / news.com.au

The bizarre design has reportedly been flying above for almost a month, with the mistake going unnoticed until now.

John Moody, from the NZ Flag Association, told the network some New Zealanders may take offence to the error.

"I think New Zealanders would feel a certain sense of disrespect," he said.

"It could be laziness, it could be ignorance, it could have been somebody who thought the New Zealand flag was similar to the Australian flag."

Though the flags look similar, the Southern Cross on the Australian flag is made up of five white stars, while the New Zealand flag features four five-pointed red stars.

The Australian flag also has a large seven-pointed Commonwealth star, which is placed under the Union Jack in a similar spot to where the star on the misshapen New Zealand flag was placed.

How it should look - the New Zealand flag.

According to 7 News, the NSW government has been searching for a flag large enough to replace the current one.

Transport NSW told news.com.au the flag was replaced last night after the error was brought to their attention.

"Transport for NSW was made aware of an incorrect New Zealand flag flying on the ANZAC Bridge and replaced it overnight," a Transport NSW spokesperson said.

"The issue arose due to a manufacturing fault by the supplier."