Stormer999

The earliest use of the silver fern as an official national symbol was by the New Zealand Army during the Second Boer War. Since then, the silver fern has been used by the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces during both World Wars and all Commonwealth war graves of fallen New Zealand soldiers have the silver fern engraved on their tombstones. During the 1956 Suez Crisis, Egyptians took exception to New Zealand and Canadian peacekeepers having the Union Flag on their uniforms. Canadian troops wore the Maple Leaf whereas the New Zealand contingent wore a silver fern symbol. New Zealand peacekeepers have since used both the silver fern and kiwi symbols for different deployments to differentiate from their Australian and British counterparts.

The koru symbol is inspired by the shape of an unfurling silver fern frond. It is found extensively in Māori art, from carving to the official Māori flag and is used in a stylised form as the logo for national airline Air New Zealand.

Wikipedia

BigStuey

I will vote to keep the current flag. I don't mind change, in fact it's a good thing. But changing the flag without changing the political system is like putting the cart before the horse. Just a vanity project for Key.
I think the flag should change after we go to a Republic. Any change before then is just 'rebranding' which is why the alternative flag looks lame - it has no meaning behind it, no real symbolism.

MrsFychan

got out voting papers today. well one of us will be happy