Flag fanatic says current is best

Mount Maunganui man Robert Miller flying the new red and blue flag with silver fern from a flagpole at his home. Photo / George Novak

A Mount Maunganui man says his decision to fly one of the new proposed Kiwi flags up a 6m flagpole at his home has drawn huge attention and mainly positive feedback.

Muricata Ave resident Robert Miller said his new red and blue flag with a silver fern was a recent 65th birthday gift from a mate who lives in the South Island, and his friend also had another nine made.

The flag-flying fanatic said he had been flying this flag up his flagpole for the past two or three days and there had been mainly positive feedback from his neighbours and passers-by.

"There are always going to be quite divisive views from people and the issue has polarised many people. It seems many young people do want a new flag, but more older people want to keep the current one," he said.

Mr Miller said he chose to fly the red and blue flag design because he does not like the other three choices and believed the mainly black flag should be left for sporting codes. "I also think the proposed red peak flag design is rubbish, it should be thrown away."

However, Mr Miller said he would ultimately like to see the country retain the current flag.

"That's because I believe New Zealand still has quite a close history with the British Empire. But if the politicians do make us change the flag, I would like to see the red and blue flag with the silver fern as the preferred option."

But it isn't just Kiwi flags that have been flown on Mr Miller's flagpole. Mr Miller said he has amassed about 130 flags over the past 10 years, some bought and some gifted to him. He has even had the occasional flag mysteriously left in his mailbox.

He regularly trawled the internet to find out about historical events from around the world on a given day and usually flew a different flag to coincide with that day in history, he said.

Mr Miller said that included flying a couple of pirate flags, the Confederate Flag on the anniversary of James Dean's death, the Playboy flag, and the Holden flag because he was a "Holden" man.

"I think flying all different kinds of flags adds a bit of colour to the street and lots of people stop to talk to me about my flags, and it definitely sparks great conversations," he said.

Mr Miller said his flagpole was made by his engineer son and he had another flagpole at his other property further down the road rented by his niece. "Every month I drop off a box of flags to her with instructions about which flag to fly on a particular day in history," he said.

Bernard Joyce, who lives across the road from Mr Miller, said he would like to keep the current flag, but the red-and-blue flag with the silver fern was "one of the nicer" of the four alternatives. "They can keep the red peak design, it looks like a patchwork cutout of little squares. I think it's horrible."

Mr Joyce said the nice thing about the red-and-blue flag with the silver fern was it would not be mistaken for the Australian flag.

"Not being given the chance to vote to retain the New Zealand flag in the first referendum is very wrong, and spending $26 million on the project is totally outrageous."