List of 40 potential new New Zealand flag designs unveiled

From over 10,000 just 40 remain. Is one of these designs New Zealand’s new flag?

New Zealand has taken a step closer to changing their national flag, after the Flag Consideration Panel released a first shortlist of 40 designs from 10,292 submissions.

‘Everyone on the panel viewed every single one of the 10,292 designs,’ said its Chair, Professor John Burrows.

‘We would like to thank everyone for their design suggestions and we’ve been impressed with the very high standard.’

After ‘robust checks and verification’, a final four will advance to the first referendum (20 November–11 December).

The winner will face the current national flag in a second referendum (3–24 March 2016).

In the unlikely event of a tie, the status quo will remain.

Any change to the national flag would apply six months to the day after the second referendum, so the current flag will fly at next year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Support for the current flag also appears to be increasing.

In a poll conducted by the New Zealand Herald back in April, 70 per cent of the 750 interviewees favoured the present flag.

Further reading: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-10/new-zealanders-get-first-look-at-new-flag-options/6687040

Author: Alex Crouch (Flag Institute accredited journalist, 2015/16)