Press

FLAG CAMPAIGN HEADS OUR WAY

27 January 2005

Proud Kiwis Ann Hay of Carterton and Todd Lynch of Masterton say they want a unique New Zealand flag that everyone can be proud of.

Wairarapa people will have the chance to voice their support for a new national flag by signing a petition to be circulated in the region over the coming weeks.

Todd Lynch, a Masterton student, is co-ordinating the efforts of a team of volunteers to collect the signatures.

"Hopefully we'll be setting up in shopping centres, town events and walking the streets," Mr Lynch said. He added that, all going well, volunteers would also have a stand

at the WBS Masterton show in February.

Those who sign the petition will join fellow New Zealanders up and down the land who believe the current flag is unmemorable and too strongly associated with the country's colonial past.

"I feel that the flag we have now has served a good purpose, but it can be confused with the Australian flag," said Ann Hay, a retired kindergarten head teacher who will be collecting signatures in South Wairarapa. "I think we need something now which can show us being proud of New Zealand."

"It's time for change," was Mr Lynch's view.

A number of different designs have been put forward for the new flag, with a simple black and white "stylised silver fern" being the preference of NZFlag.com, the charitable trust acting as the principle champion of the campaign.

Mr Lynch said that he too favoured the black and white design because, "it is what most of our sports teams wear." However Mrs Hay said that she would like to see "something more colourful than black and white."

A host of well-known Kiwis including Silver Fern Anna Rowberry, Olympic gold medallist Barbara Kendall and Auckland mayor Dick Hubbard, support changing the flag to give New Zealand a fresh, distinctive image on the world stage. The petition to change the flag was officially launched outside parliament on Tuesday and campaigners need to collect 300,000 signatures by May if they are to win the right to hold a Citizens Initiated Referendum on its future at this year's general election.

Want to sign the petition for a new New Zealand flag? Contact Todd Lynch on 027 465 6000 or Ann Hay on 06 379 8420.