MrsFychan

against existing flag




what do we all think

Personally I think this is a waste of time and money but its going ahead so might as well have my say.
I say stick with the existing as a nod to all those that have served and those still serving under it.

LoCarb

I'm writing expletive deletive on the ballot paper.
Key's pet project & a total diversion from what is really going on with the TPP.
Should be Stars & Stripes with a small Kiwi in the corner if truth be told.

BEVS

If one has to choose from the 4 so-called finalists, then I will choose No.4.

Complete and utter pathetic waste of public money.

I could be far more scathing .

MrsFychan

you can still choose the existing flag, which hopefully everyone will.

LauraNotts

I kind of like the blue and red silver fern one and if we HAD to have a new one but I like the old one still. Seems a bit weird how quickly everyone wants to stamp on the old flag because it has the Union Jack on it. That side of New Zealand's history and culture is just as important as the Maori heritage and culture as well as the new cultures coming from Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Bo-Jangles

What a farce, it's hardly a choice is it when the initial forty that were selected were all a variation of the same theme and no surprises to see the one that JK chose since ages ago is in the top four.


They look like some tacky corporate logos that you might see at the council office and judging by comments I have seen and heard in the media they will simply serve to encourage more people towards a vote to keep the old one.

MrsFychan

saw this on a skeptics group:

Why not change the flag?

Here's why not - its called 'Due Authority'

DUE AUTHORITY in a nation like NZ is represented on the NZ flag by the Union Jack and signifies that we are a constitutional monarchy.

A change of flag means not only that we have taken a major step to removing the DUE AUTHORITY of the crown. It also means we take away the very power which enforces both the 1981 Bill of Rights Act (the closest thing NZ has to an entrenched Constitution) and the founding plank upon which the Treaty of Waitangi has meaning.

It does not matter if you're pro or anti monarchy but if you take away the DUE AUTHORITY of law (which includes our flag) you then open the gates of hell, or to be precise the means in which John Key can legally sign the TPPA (Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement). Currently if the matter was taken to court it would undoubtedly end up at the Supreme Court.

The Privy Council is our former chief court and unlike the new US-styled NZ supreme Court, has its legal interpretation interpreted by Judges that are picked by the Law Lords of the Common Wealth.
In the new system those Judges are picked by parliament – uh oh.

At the moment it is likely that a legal challenge could be mounted against the TPPA, even if John does sign it, even with the Supreme Court Change, in that it breaches the 1981 Bill of Rights and the Crowns obligation to Iwi as set out in the Treaty of Waitangi.

However, if the DUE AUTHORITY of the State can be removed then the TPPA can not only be signed but it then means that once signed the DUE AUTHORITY of the TPPA would supersede the power of any NZ laws already in place. Such as the 1981 Bill of Rights etc.

RobDon

Gotta say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
Got to go for the current flag.

Charismatic

They knew this was a loser so they picked any four flags using the scientifically proven process of blindfolding a person, spinning the round until dizzy before handing them a dart.

Lets concentrate on more pressing social, economic and environmental issue.

chocolate cake

John Key's effort to leave some kind of legacy. A big waste of money.

Woodlea

Love it - out with the old - in with the new!

Persephone

What a waste of money that could have been much better spent on dealing with some of the inequalities here in NZ.

I've yet to meet a NZer who actually has any desire to change the flag, I know they exist but they are in the minority. Most see it as John Key's vanity project and a really bad way to spend their well earned taxes.

scrubbedexpat094

Let's keep what we've got. I see this whole exercise as a waste of time and money. I don't like any of the four short-listed and am more than happy with the Union flag and the southern cross on a blue background. Anyone seen the John Oliver thing on this? Very funny. Would go hunting for it but am in Fiji and I'm running late for cocktail hour

Tom H

I've seen better flag designs at Burwood Preschool!!!! How tacky can you get

lardyl

That would have been too scientific, no they chose a committee of stooges fed them champagne and their expense accouts, blindfolded them and then let them pin the tail on the four donkeys.

Didn't think change was worthwhile when I saw the long list or Gareth Morgan's winner, but now thinking that red peak might be worth it. I like the way it can be viewed as a combination of the southern cross star from our current flag and the Maori red white and black motif. Don't care if some South Carolina engineering company's logo is similar - for goodness sakes most of the really strong flag designs all have similar flags to them never mind logos or clip-arty stuff.

Maybe though we should just get some smilies on a flag..... so I present the NZ "yeah" / "nah" flag - sums us up as a nation.....