3/4 NZ youths would vote for current flag - survey

According to the survey New Zealand youth prefer the current flag by a huge margin. Photo / File

More than three quarters of New Zealand youth would vote for the current flag, according to a survey.

Youthtown asked 13- to 17-year-olds on its Facebook page which flag they would vote for if they were able to vote in the referendum.

Of the 1133 teenagers who responded, 77 per cent said they would vote for the current flag.

One 14-year-old said they supported the current flag because it had a lot of history behind it.

"Our soldiers fought and died under our flag ... This generation and many generations before this have been born and raised under this flag."

Others wanted a different design, were unsure what the change could lead to, or they didn't trust the flag referendum process.

Supporters of the new flag said they thought it was a better representation of New Zealand's identity.

"Soldiers fought and died so we could have a voice and bring change for our country," one said.

"They fought for New Zealand, not for a flag."

Youthtown chief executive Paula Kearns said the passionate responses showed young people were interested in the future of New Zealand.

What they said

"Honestly, the original flag represents our nation's history and development. I don't understand why the new flag is considered necessary, nor do I understand why the Government would place so much funding into a campaign that could have gone into another area in our country that really needs it."

"I'm almost 15 and I believe I should be able to vote. I want to keep the current flag because it is the flag we have had for years. People have died under that flag while fighting for our country. That flag represents who we are - the new flag means nothing."

Source: Youthtown survey