Ian McKelvie: Nailing our colours to the mast

THE New Zealand flag is one of the most important symbols of our national identity and the process to consider a new flag is attracting a great deal of interest - and rightly so.

We are now at the stage where the independent Flag Consideration Panel's public consultation phase is done.

Last week the panel presented the 40 alternative design options they are going to consider as the next step in this process, including checks to make sure there are no copyright or intellectual property right issues.

From this group of 40, the panel will pick four designs by mid-September to go to the first referendum. Then eligible voters will be asked to choose which of the four designs they most prefer by ranking them in order of preference.

In the second referendum - which is expected to be in March next year - that chosen alternative will go up against the current New Zealand flag. So you can vote in September even if you don't agree with changing the flag.

Those on the Flag Consideration Panel viewed every single one of the 10,292 designs submitted by members of the public and greatly appreciated the thought and hard work that was put into the designs.

According to Professor John Burrows, chair of the panel, they made a unanimous decision and selected flags they believed best reflected New Zealand's identity, as well as the values and themes that were expressed throughout this process.

He said the panel was guided by the knowledge that a potential new flag should unmistakably be from New Zealand and should celebrate us as a progressive, inclusive nation that is connected to its environment, has a sense of its past, and a vision for its future.

In making its selection, the panel invited a number of cultural, vexillology (the scientific study of flags), art and design experts to provide confidential technical feedback on the options under consideration.

I fully support the flag review process as I believe it will give us real relevance in our market place - particularly in the Asia- Pacific region. At the moment, I am leaning towards the Kyle Lockwood designed Silver Fern (black, white and blue) because I think it is relevant, it celebrates our place in the South Pacific and it also includes the Southern Cross and the silver fern. I like the blue and black background, too, with the black reflecting our national sporting colour.

It is well known that our Prime Minister John Key favours changing the flag. One of his main concerns is around our national identity and the fact the existing flag is so often mistaken for Australia's. You just needed to see the two flying side by side on Sunday night following the Netball World Cup final to clearly illustrate his point.

We are determined the flag debate will be conducted thoroughly with every opportunity for New Zealanders to have their say. While the cost of the process is always a consideration, it is also important to consider the value to New Zealand of coming up with a new design that is recognised worldwide as us " as New Zealand.