POLL QUESTION

Chose a Flag for New Zealand 1, 2, 3, or 4





Four new flags - and four million opinions video
TRACY WATKINS
Last updated 20:08, September 1 2015

OPINION: There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about, as Oscar Wilde once said.

On that basis, John Key must be relieved about the response to Tuesday's big reveal of the final four designs in the search for a new flag to replace the current one. The judges spoke, and New Zealand roared back. Suddenly it was fashionable to have an opinion about the flag - even if that opinion was to stick with the status quo.

The four flag designs that made the final cut ahead of a referendum in November are either total dogs, a missed opportunity, or an exciting symbol of change, depending on who you ask. On the other side of the debate is the current flag, with its overt nod to Britain, and our shared history with old allies like Australia, which is either an anachronism or a flag worth dying for - again, depending on who you ask.


Prime Minister John Key's favoured flag design. It didn't make the cut.



If social media is any guide, the old and familiar wins hands down. Key won't be too worried about that. The stridency of the opposition to Tuesday's final four has at last given the debate some momentum - something it lacked up till now. When Key announced the referendum, he hoped to carry the flag debate on a tide of nationalism in Rugby World Cup year. But it failed to fire the public's imagination. Labour's argument - that it was a waste of money up against more pressing concerns - seemed to be gaining more traction.

NZ First leader Winston Peters has also sniffed the winds and come out agitating for people to lodge a protest vote in the November referendum by writing "no change" on their ballot paper. A low turnout or a big protest vote would put pressure on Key to scrap the second referendum. Which is why Tuesday's huge response - negative or not - will bring a sigh of relief around the Cabinet table. As polarising as they are, the four flag designs have at least given people a reason to vote. When Key launched the referendum, it might have seemed that losing the argument for change would be the biggest disaster. But the bigger disaster politically would be if nobody cared enough to vote.

...more at link
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politic ... wn-to-four

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

For those who may not be "au fait" with NZ's current flag

NZ Flag


I don't mind the "Union Jack" in the corner. The link to England, and the old British Empire is fine by me. As with all national flags a LOT of history (wars and stuff) has gone before under the current flag, and so personally I am loath to change it. My ONE complaint might be it is too much like the Australian flag. Nothing wrong with that flag either, it is just confusing to have the two of them so similar.

Australian Flag


So I'll go along with this flag change game, but I'll be happy whatever the result. Any one of the "silver ferns" will do. I would NOT be happy if they pander to our local grievance lobby with the Maori "Koru" design.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

There is only ONE choice for ME in the 4 options.....

NZ's "national color" is BLACK.... and I am sick of it.

That tradition has grown from the Rugby Team wearing all black and being famous as "the Allbacks" It has spread to most sports teams, and so on to design and fashion generally. Particularly men's fashion. I have often opined how depressingly BLACK all the men's clothes are when you walk into a clothing store. My reaction is to shy away from black clothing and design generally (racist I know)

So... the upshot is I will be voting for the one flag design with no BLACK in it

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Just for "fun" I will make this thread a poll.

We have not had a nice poll in "yonks plus ages"

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I voted

I can see where the black attire would get old, Rumpole, but because of the sports' teams, ya gotta have a little bit of black in the flag.

From the first article "The government's Flag Consideration panel has chosen four from the 10,292 alternative designs."

So when is it decided ... November?

See post above

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

K, Rumpole

Bumping this up to get some more poll-takers

You could TWEET, my dear

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I like the flag you already have.

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K. I like it too.

Just have to force the Okers to change THEIR flag instead?

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

A flag poll for what is going to hang from the flag pole.

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Boom! Boom!

You should be on the stage with comedy like that Mal

(You need to read PM/Vote)

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

FUNNY vid!

Yeah, I gotta flag.

I got a Flag - Best in WORLD!!

Y Ddraig Goch

"There's a blood-red dragon on a field of green"



Roger Waters - Radio KAOS - Sunset Strip

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Flag change: Three conspiracy theories
HENRY COOKE
Last updated 11:12, September 2 2015

[....]
THEORY ONE: THE FLAG HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED, JUST LOOK AT THIS TV SCREEN



This theory is probably the most fun. A Facebook photo - incontrovertibly from September of 2013 - shows Kyle Lockwood's red and blue silver fern design on a TV at a Vietnamese hotel, set up for a photo with two New Zealand guests. There's a clearer version



Even if it was Photoshopped, which it doesn't at all look like it was, how on Earth did they upload it back in time? Seems like the decision was already been made back then, huh.


...more at link
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/the-fla ... y-theories

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

This is too weird.
I think it is photo-shopped .. both pics.

The plot thickens.....

I have heard that the official referendum will involve RANKING all 4 options.

THIS IS NUTS!

A classic example of what happens is when you ask a group to chose a color to paint a room.. you end up with YELLOW!!

Which NOBODY picked as 1st choice, and NOBODY actually wants.

What may well happen is people's first choices may be evenly spread, but second choice (that they dont really want) is same for people across first choice options.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet - Democracy

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light