Silver Fern design preferred choice for new NZ flag

A silver fern flag flying after Team NZ successfully defended the America's Cup in 2000. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A silver fern is the most favoured design for an alternative New Zealand flag, according to nzherald.co.nz reader comments.

Over the past two weeks, the Herald has carried a debate on changing New Zealand's flag, after finding eleven of the country's 22 Order of Merit members wanted a change, against five who did not.

The first 500 public responses to nzherald.co.nz showed 63 per cent of those who wanted a new flag preferred the silver fern design.

The second most popular designs, the Tino Rangatiratanga and the kiwi, were each picked by only five per cent of those commenting on the debate.

Jane commented that the silver fern was already New Zealand's de facto flag.

"As far as I'm concerned the NZ flag is the silver fern on the black background. The non-entity that is our current flag is an irrelevancy that says everything about the country that we were and nothing about the country that we are.

"Change the damn thing to the flag that most are using anyway."

Ian agreed, saying it was recognised worldwide as New Zealand's emblem.

"Yes, definitely, the silver fern on a black background is the only flag we should consider - it is NZ, people the world over know it is NZ, why consider anything else!

"We should learn from Canada and their maple leaf flag. It's one of the only flags in the world that is instantly recognisable."

The choice is in agreement with Prime Minister John Key, who sketched a silver fern when asked what he would like to see for a new flag if it was changed.

His sketch has been put on auction online and has received bids of more than $10,000 with one day to go.

But nzherald.co.nz readers were almost evenly split on whether the flag should be changed at all - 45 per cent were for change and 46 per cent against.

SW left a comment typical of those who wanted the current flag kept.

"If it is not broke. Do not waste taxpayer money fixing it!"

A Herald DigiPoll survey published last week found 52 per cent of respondents wanted change and 44 per cent did not.

A small number of nzherald.co.nz readers called for a referendum, but it did not reach two per cent of the total - well under the 10 per cent needed to force one through.