May 2002
By James Dignan
After a century of flying our present flag, James Dignan suggests a design that reflects New Zealand as it is today.
A centenary which will probably pass largely unmarked this year is that of our national flag. Although it has been used unofficially since the 1860's , the design was officially hoisted as New Zealand's national flag for the first time on June 12, 1902. Now, as it enters its second century, views on this symbol of national unity polarise society more than ever. Those supporting the design see it as representing our traditional links with Britain, a proud banner under which our troops have fought, a symbol of our stability and responsibility in an everchanging world. Those who object to it see it as outdated and outmoded, a symbol of now weak ties with a colonial past, and far too much like the flag of our bigger sibling across the Tasman. They favour more internationally recognised symbols of New Zealand, such as the silver fern, or want some recognition of our biculturalism. Both these arguments have much going for them. We are a stable country and the longevity of our flag recognises this. And we do have links with Britain - tenuous ones to be sure, but to deny this part of our history would be as wrong as denying our Maori heritage. It is wrong to honour only our European descent; there is no indication on our flag that we have a sizeable Polynesian population (let alone the smaller but significant populations from other racial groups). The flag's Southern Cross is a recognised symbol of New Zealand, albeit one that is used by several other nations, and whether it is as internationally recognised as the silver fern is a moot point. Our flag has been around far longer than that of almost every other country. Australia, the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany have all made at least minor changes to their flag since 1902. If we were to change our flag, what would we change it to? To answer is that we need to ask other questions first. What makes a successful flag? What do people want our flag to tell people? And what features of New Zealand need to be recognised on a flag?
New Zealand Herald
© New Zealand Herald 2002