Thread: New Zealanders presented with 40 flag options to vote for new national standard

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

bloody fern

Culturally transcendent symbols of nature are the go for intelligent 21st century flag designs.

Not symbols of ephemeral and partisan human tribes (maori/aboriginal designs) and religion (crescent moon/possibly christian overtones of southern cross) or symbols of political history (Union Jack corner-logo).

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

Gosh, are they really going to saddle themselves with that?

Those stars are just so, well, North Korean and what's with this obsession with a bloody fern as a national motif? The English rose, Welsh leek and Scottish thistle have secured an iconic, cultural significance but they don't have to represent statehood which is altogether something different and should have more gravitas.

Bloody awful design and so tasteless with far too much going on. Certainly looks like the product of a committee utterly ignorant of the concept, less is more.

The stars are the Souther Cross.

and you have to to much better than that for a wind-up, me lad-i-o....

Originally Posted by prawnograph

This is the alternative flag design which will go head-to-head with New Zealand's current flag in the referendum on change, in March 2016.

The preliminary result of the first flag referendum has just been announced as Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue).

This is the alternative flag design which will go head-to-head with New Zealand's current flag in the referendum on change, in March 2016.

LIVE: New Zealand Flag referendum result | Stuff.co.nz

Gay.

Scotland, christianity, an anal tickler and blackness; extremely gay...

I like the logo (for a sporting emblem) but not for a National flag.

I am indifferent as to the outcome...

Originally Posted by Looper

possibly christian overtones of southern cross

How on earth do you figure that ?

They are stars in the flaming sky as seen from the Southern Hemisphere.

Well done fellow commonwealth citizens. I applaud you.





14m ago
08:55
New Zealand keeps current flag

So, that’s it. After a 10 month, $26m process, New Zealand has decided to keep its current flag with 1.2m votes in favour – an outcome indicated in polling for some months.

Kyle Lockwood’s preferred alternative received 915,000 votes, though prime minister John Key has said this will crack 1m once the official result had been counted.

Key admitted to being “a bit disappointed” but said he’ll back the result, and encouraged New Zealanders to get out there and fly their (Union Jack) flag, affirmed by the knowledge that it has the support of the majority of voters.

He refuted suggestion that the process had been a waste of time and money, or that he’d approach it differently with the benefit of hindsight.

New Zealand flag vote: current flag wins with more than half the vote ? live! | World news | The Guardian

They just couldn't break away from the Union Jack, very understandable...

... a 10 month, $26m process [...] He refuted suggestion that the process had been a waste of time and money...

Politicians eh.

You missed an opportunity here kiwis.....

Such symbols are an anachronism, but if that's the will of the majority, so be it.

Think of all the sheep you could have bought with $26 million.

Dozens probably.

They should not give up.

Without the pressure of a must have decision someone will come up with a suitable design that appeals to everyone.

Canada's maple leaf was an after thought not a front runner...

Excellent result! I am a happy and proud Kiwi!

God save the Queen.

*not you Terry 55

^
I am surprised at your vote Dickie - I thought you had a bit of tar in you - surely the rest of the Maoris did not want to retain the Brit flag.

Only 1/32 Maori... (my 12" dong is full-blooded Maori hehe)...

What can I say.. I was brainwashed by my very British Grandfather, I blame him for my loyalty to the mother country (and warped sense of humor)..

New Zealanders reject change to national flag in referendum

New Zealanders have voted in favour of keeping the current national flag in a referendum, after a 17-month exercise that cost taxpayers $NZ26 million ($23.18million).

Prime Minister John Key, who was the main advocate for a change, accepted the people's decision in a tweet.
External Link: John Key flag tweet

Those who wanted change said the existing flag, featuring the United Kingdom's union jack in the corner, was too closely tied to colonial history and was too easily confused with the Australian flag.

Former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, a prominent supporter of the new flag, said he realised this before last year's Rugby World Cup final against Australia.

"The moment when I decided a new flag would be great for our country [was when] running out at Twickenham and seeing the two flags looking so similar," McCaw wrote on Facebook last month.

The proposed alternative was a silver fern on a black-and-blue background, which retains the four stars.

The design was meant to highlight the silver fern, widely considered New Zealand's national symbol, but was likened by critics to both a towel and a corporate logo.

'Ugly and embarrassing'

Created by designer Kyle Lockwood, it beat four other proposed flags in a preliminary referendum last December.

"I voted to keep the flag, not really because I didn't like the idea of change, more because the proposed new flag is so very ugly and a bit embarrassing," Wellington resident Sarah Newbold said.

"And it reminds me too much of rugby and a corporate logo."

Local media reported the current flag won 56.6 per cent of votes, and the proposed one received 43.2 per cent, out of 2,124,507 votes.

Those results did not include any ballots that were already in the post but had not yet been received.

The final results, which are not expected to significantly change, will be released on March 30.

Quirky designs

More than 10,000 potential designs were submitted when Mr Key announced the referendum in October 2014, before that was whittled down to a shortlist of 40.
One of the quirkier suggestions featured a native kiwi bird with laser beams shooting from its eyes.

These were highlighted with glee by international media and comedian John Oliver, who offered his own suggestions which included references to bungee jumping and sheep.



The multi-million-dollar price tag for the flag referendum had caused some grumbling by voters and opposition politicians, but no major political fallout is expected.

New Zealanders reject change to national flag in referendum - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

New Zealanders label $23 million flag referendum a waste of money

Regardless of whether they voted for the new flag or to keep the old one, many New Zealanders are angered about the $23 million spent on maintaining the status quo.

After a 17-month exercise, New Zealanders voted in favour of keeping the national flag in a referendum.

The current flag won 56.6 per cent of votes and the proposed alternative, a silver fern on a black-and-blue background, received 43.2 per cent.

Following the announcement of the referendum result, social media quickly filled with equal expressions of delight and disappointment from locals.

Those who voted for keeping the current design celebrated retaining the reference to the country's origins as a British colony, while others were disappointed the country would not embrace a new identity.

However, people on both sides of the argument agreed the whole process had been an expensive exercise for taxpayers.

New Zealanders label $23 million flag referendum a waste of money - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

I blame the slightly wanky compromise design on the new flag.

The classic silver fern would have got over the line I think.

https://teakdoor.com/world-news/16414...keep-flag.html

https://teakdoor.com/the-teakdoor-lou...g-options.html (New Zealanders presented with 40 flag options to vote for new national standard)

No one pointed out that 4th from the left, 2nd row, is two people 69ing each other?

Still not as perverse as the silver fern arse-tickler.

Great news the kiwis did not get bullied into some horrible crap that looked like a native had painted when pissed. Well done, fvcking great country, well, apart from Rotarua of course

Originally Posted by prawnograph

The Maori electorates gave the highest percentage vote for retention according to NZ Herald

Maoris don't want to move towards an independent republic waving a new flag, as that would be the end of the cash cow Treaty of Waitangi.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Key admitted to being “a bit disappointed” but said he’ll back the result.... affirmed by the knowledge that it has the support of the majority of voters.

What a stark contrast to Thailand.