Matt SMITH
4 December 2004
FLAG revisionists in Southland are being called to arms as the www.nzflag.com Trust tries to get a citizen-initiated referendum off the ground.
The trust needs volunteers to collect signatures for the petition and campaign
manager Iona Pannett said they were aiming for 350,000 signatures.
Southland, along with most of the South Island, was slow to build up support
for the referendum but Ms Pannett was confident of success throughout the country.
"Recent months have seen a huge groundswell of support for the campaign," she said.
"Kiwis have clearly said that they want a flag that reflects our status as an independent nation in the South Pacific." The trust hoped to get enough support to hold a referendum at the 2005 general election.
Ms Pannett said 350,000 signatures would be more than enough but would cover any invalid signatures.
Anyone who wished to help with the collection could email Ms Pannett at iona@actrix.co.nz
The Southland Times
© Fairfax New Zealand Limited 2004