Flags to fly high at council on Waitangi Day

The Rotorua Lakes Council will fly both the New Zealand flag and the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand on Waitangi Day.

Rotorua Lakes Council will again fly both the New Zealand flag and the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand at the council Civic Centre on Waitangi Day this week.

This will be the third successive Waitangi Day the two flags have flown side-by-side, following a previous request by local Te Arawa leaders. While central government flies the Tino Rangatiratanga flag on government buildings on Waitangi Day, Te Arawa leaders previously advised the council that they did not view that flag as being representative of Rotorua iwi.

The united tribes flag is an interim measure until a permanent local flag is designed by Te Arawa for use on future Waitangi Days. In the 1800s the united tribes flag was used to welcome non-Maori visitors to Te Arawa country. It also flew on the first ship to export produce from New Zealand to Australia.

A decision on a flag for use on Waitangi Day in Rotorua in future years has been left with Te Pukenga Koeke o Te Arawa, the group of Te Arawa kaumatua which advises the council on cultural matters.

Council strategy and partnerships group manager, Jean-Paul Gaston, said the choice of a permanent Te Arawa flag to acknowledge the partnership with local Maori was a decision for Te Arawa.

"The council has said previously that it's happy to wait until Te Arawa can come up with a flag design that they feel represents them. In the meantime Rotorua Lakes Council will continue to fly the Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand at the Civic Centre on Waitangi Day, alongside the New Zealand flag."