4 is a hands down winner for me... the new offering is dull beyond belief. I think if you did a vox populi that the average Kiwi on the street would think the same.

I also reckon number 4.  I wonder if a flag manufacturer suggested that 5th monstrosity, as all of the others would, I believe, be more costly to produce?

The New Zealand government has bowed to public pressure and added an extra flag design to the four options already being considered for a new national banner.

Designer Aaron Dustin says it contains references to New Zealand's mountainous terrain and indigenous Maori culture.

More than 50,000 people signed a petition calling for Red Peak's inclusion in a ballot for a new flag to potentially replace the existing one, which has a British Union Jack in the corner.

An opinion poll this week showed 69 per cent of people want to keep the current flag.

Mr Key ( The Prime Minister) has led the push for a new flag, saying the existing one is an outdated relic of British colonial rule and should be replaced with something that "screams New Zealand".

Kiwis will pick their favourite among the five options in a referendum to be held between November 20 and December 11.

The winning design will then go head-to-head against the existing flag in a second vote in March

K.J.

Ondabeach wrote:

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I'm shocked Jim... NZ has a politician with an agenda... glad we don't have any of those here

If 69% are in favour of keeping the original then it sounds like a lot of money is just being thrown down the drain... and again, I'm glad our pollies don't do that

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Yes I must say, these opinion polls are a funny thing, I for one ,have never been asked to join in any in my entire life, I would like to know where the 69% live !!!

Talk about Pollies wasting money, You should see how they are going at it here in the West, talking about building light rail, a new Stadium for Sport, under ground entrances to the Port, and not to mention that horrible attraction called the Bell Tower, which by the way has been leaking like a sieve since it was built,  "Whoops" got me a bit side tracked here,

Back to the Flag,  lets hope they finally pick a design that is sensible, not some stupid design that only the creator knows what it means. 

K.J.  

You;re dead right about the cost of changing the Flag Vic,

here is an extract from the NZ Herald News Paper,

Taxpayers face $25 million bill even if old flag stays,

Changing New Zealand's flag is likely to cost the taxpayer $30 million or more, with Finance Minister Bill English acknowledging he doesn't know what the final total will be.

Just the build-up to the votes on the flag - and the referendums themselves - will cost $25.7 million.

The publicity blitz around selecting the new designs, which begins on Anzac Day next year, will cost $6.7 million, while the two referendums will cost $17.3 million. Other costs will take the overall bill to $25.7 million whether the flag is changed or not.

However, a regulatory impact statement released yesterday estimates additional costs of up to $2.66 million to replace flags and Defence Force uniforms if the flag is changed.

Other costs, including changing flags on government ships and on drivers' licences, were unknown.

Mr Key said it wasn't possible to have a "serious process" around changing the flag without spending money on two referendums.

Makes me wonder,  Is it worth it. ????

K.J.