New Zealand Is Taking Public Submissions For A New Flag And Everyone Has Truly Outdone Themselves
The new designs include 'Happy Kiwi' and 'Fire The Lazar!'
Like us, New Zealand has had a number of debates about their national flag in the past few decades. Many argue that its use of the Union Jack puts undue emphasis on their place in the Commonwealth and doesn’t accurately represent the nation’s independence. Others attest it should be changed to pay respect to the country’s Māori heritage, acting as a symbol for the nation’s multiculturalism. More generally, everyone’s pretty sick of being confused with Australia all the time.
Finally stepping up to do something about all this, it was announced late last year that NZ would hold a referendum on the matter. Though the whole process will cost the government a cool $20 million, NZ citizens will be asked to vote in 2016 for either the original flag or a new design yet to be determined.
This week, the government launched an initiative called the Flag Consideration Project to initiate debate on this important matter and it’s shaping up to be an incredibly democratic process. Through the website and a number of discussion series across the country in the coming months, NZ citizens are being provided with historical information about the the current flag and a platform to consider how a new one could better symbolise what they now “stand for”.
But this is more hands-on than a simple vote. Through an online submissions process, people are also being asked to put forward their own designs. Specifically, NZ Prime Minister and serial ponytail puller John Key has encouraged people to create something that ditches the Union Jack in favour of a silver fern — a symbol with significance in Māori mythology that has since been adopted widely by broader NZ culture.
As a result, many of the current 850 submissions look something like this:
Fortunately, because the internet is the internet, a few other brave souls have offered up their alternate designs. For optimum enjoyment please pop on the anthem, then scroll through and gaze upon the future of our proud sister nation.
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Happy Kiwi
–The Happy NZ Flag
–Bicycle Of NZ
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All Black
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Blue Sky Blue Sea
–Red
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Good Flag
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Te Pepe
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Clean Green Kiwiana
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Fush And Chups
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Snapper Quota Unicorn
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Southern Kiwi
–Sheep And Hokey Pokey
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Fire The Lazar!
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Nyan Kiwi
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MOA FLAG
A simple and elegant reminder of that bird we accidentally murdered.
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You can see the full gallery here and submit your own design before July 16. The best four will be chosen by a panel and, though odds are pretty slim on ‘Nyan Kiwi’ and ‘Snapper Quota Unicorn’, I reckon ‘Fire The Lazar!’ is in with a chance.