Fern prominent among top 40 designs

Rotorua triathlete Ollie Shaw.

Rotorua triathlete Ollie Shaw would love to not be mistaken for an Australian.

The 23-year-old, who has been representing New Zealand since he was a schoolboy, reckons one of the flag designs featuring the silver fern would be a good choice.

Yesterday 40 designs were long-listed from 10,292 submitted by the public. No Rotorua designs made it through the selection by the Flag Consideration Panel, which comprises 12 people from across New Zealand. Of the 40, 20 feature the Southern Cross, which is on the existing flag, 19 feature a koru pattern of some type, 11 feature a fern, two feature the seven stars of Matariki, and 14 have a combination of two features.

Mr Shaw said he preferred the Silver Fern (black, white and blue) by Kyle Lockwood.

"I'd be more proud under that flag because when I'm overseas our flag looks too closely like the Australian one," he said. "I seem to get called Australian quite a bit, maybe a bit of separation would be good ... I think the silver fern is the biggest part of it for me. I feel proud every time I get to wear it ..."

His choice was backed by Rotorua Lakes councillor Tania Tapsell. "It replaces the Union Jack with the fern and that makes it more representative of New Zealand, but we keep the Southern Cross," she said. "There's lots of history behind our flag and we should respect that but it's time for a change."

The next stage of the referendum, which may not even result in a change of flag, takes place next month when the panel will announce the final four designs. From November 20 to December 11 the public will choose, via postal ballot, a preferred alternative design.

The people on the panel issued an open letter saying what they thought a flag should be. "A great flag should be distinctive and so simple it can be drawn by a child from memory," the letter said. "A great flag is timeless and communicates swiftly and potently the essence of the country it represents ... It should speak to all Kiwis. Our hope is that New Zealanders will see themselves reflected in these flags symbols, colours and stories ... We have selected for the long list designs that we believe best reflect the values New Zealanders have shared with us."

However, Te Arawa Maori Returned Services League secretary Sam Smith said none of the designs stood out.

"There are a lot of silver ferns and they seem to be repeating themselves but with a different colour. I think the koru is a bit bland," he said.

Mr Smith said he preferred the flag to stay the same.

Timeline for referendum

Late 2014: Cross-party MPs' group nominations for the Flag Consideration Panel.

Feb 2015: Flag Consideration Panel appointed.

June: Public forums held across the country.

July 16: Deadline for flag submissions.

August 10: Long list of flags revealed.

November 20 to December 11: First referendum - public to choose a preferred alternative design.

March 3 to March 24 2016: Second referendum - public to choose between current flag and preferred design.