Editorial: Let's not dismiss new flag

Kim Gillespie

So, after many years umming, ahhing and arguing New Zealand will vote on a new national flag.

A month ago I noted that change for our flag was closer than ever, and this week John Key has put it firmly on the agenda.

The Prime Minister said a referendum would be held at the end of next year, and another the following year.

The first would be to choose an alternative flag, voting from contenders chosen by a committee after a public submission process.

The second referendum would let the public vote whether to change to the flag chosen in the first referendum, or retain the current flag.

Whenever we ask our readers through social media for their thoughts on changing the flag, opinions tend to favour the status quo, for a variety of reasons.

Many say there are more important things to worry about. Well of course there are, but you'd never get anything done if you keep using that as an argument.

Others think the current flag should remain because their grandparents served under it, fought for it, died for it.

I'd argue they actually served, fought and died for everything the flag stands for (not for the bit of blue material with another nation's flag in the corner and stylised Southern Cross).

Any flag representing our country will stand for those same ideals, and any new flag will have undergone a rigorous public process including winning a referendum over the current one.

Yes, our flag represents those who came before us, and their achievements. But a new flag can represent all of that and more with a design that stands for who we are, where we've come from and maybe where we're headed.

And that's exciting.