New flag designs gain support from Bay leaders

The final four flag designs.

The final four options for a new flag have been released and three feature a silver fern - a selection that has been supported by some Bay leaders.

Two of the final four have also retained the Southern Cross and the other features a simple koru design.

Mayor Stuart Crosby was pleased to see the design he favoured, the silver fern and Southern Cross keeping with traditional colours, made the top four. The new designs were also supported in a quick Tauranga street poll listed below.

Mr Crosby maintained his opinion that the flag change was not "the highest priority" but supported the change he believed would "move the country forward".

Join the conversation. Have your say on the new flag designs here.

"I think as a country we've developed and advanced a lot and I think a new flag will assist in our identity," he said.

However, Mauao Maori Bay of Plenty regional councillor Awanui Black feared the $26 million flag change could potentially put the Treaty of Waitangi in "danger".

Mr Black said a flag change was a constitutional issue that required debate, and any sort of change that concerned the Treaty of Waitangi was a bad move.

"A whole constitutional decision has to be made and some of the safety clauses, if you will, within the Treaty of Waitangi could be at threat."

His main concern was not what the flag looks like but rather "what it ends up representing".

Kiwis will rank the four designs in order of preference in the first flag referendum in November. A second referendum next March will pit the preferred alternative against the current flag.

About 10,000 flag designs were narrowed down to a selection of 40 by the Flag Consideration Panel last month.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges favoured the two flags which were adorned with the silver fern and southern cross but could not yet decide on his final preference. "I think when people put the current flag up against these four new versions more people will have a clearer understanding why a change has been proposed, and the support for a change will become much stronger," he said.

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller also liked the two versions with the fern and Southern Cross. Mr Muller said the silver fern reflected much of New Zealand's sporting and military history, and was a unique symbol which had been synonymous with New Zealand for at least 100 years.

Mount Maunganui RSA club support manager Peter Moss did not think change was necessary but believed keeping the traditional colour scheme was important to the country's Commonwealth heritage. "If we're not going to have the Union Jack then I think we should retain the red, white and blue as a historic fact," Mr Moss said.

Street View: What flag do you prefer from the four designs which have been shortlisted?

"The koru design and colours are clean and simple and it means a lot to the Maori heritage."

- Siobhan Keogh, 27, Papamoa

"I like the colours of black, blue and red with the fern and it's significant to New Zealand."

- Shane Ririnui, 36, Maungatapu

"The design keeps with the colours of red, white and blue which shows the Union Jack. It would be important to keep the original flag but I think it's time for a change."

- Jim Salvidge, 58, Hairini