Who started the flag referendum?
Page 8 – Flag referenda In 2014 Prime Minister John Key announced a two-stage referendum process to determine whether New Zealanders wanted a new national flag.
How much did the NZ flag referendum cost?
Opposition parties, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (RSA) president Barry Clark and members of the public criticised the referendum plan for costing $26 million which could be spent on other issues.
When was the NZ flag referendum?
November 20, 2015
2015–2016 New Zealand flag referendums/Start dates
Who designed the flag of New Zealand?
Admiral Sir Albert Hastings Markham
On the right half of the flag are four stars in the formation of the Southern Cross constellation. Each star is red with a white border, and has five points. Admiral Sir Albert Hastings Markham, KCB designed the New Zealand Flag.
Why do Australia and New Zealand have the same flag?
Why do New Zealand and Australia use a similar pattern of stars on their flags? Both Australia and New Zealand chose the Southern Cross constellation for their flags. The colours of the stars on both flags were chosen to complement the colours of the Union Jack shown in the top left-hand corner of both flags.
Which came first New Zealand or Australian flag?
Sort of! New Zealand adopted its flag — featuring a blue background, Union Jack and stars representing the Southern Cross constellation — in 1902. Australia did not formally adopt its flag until 1954, although a version was flown as early as 1901. Though similar, the countries’ flags are not identical.
Why does the New Zealand flag have 4 stars?
The flag of New Zealand is a defaced Blue Ensign with the Union Flag in the canton, and four red stars with white borders to the right. The stars’ pattern represents the asterism within the constellation of Crux, the Southern Cross. After the formation of the colony in 1840, British ensigns began to be used.
Why is there a debate about New Zealand’s flag?
The flag debate is sometimes connected with republicanism in New Zealand (i.e. replacing the ‘British’ monarch with a New Zealand head of state). The national flag exclusively acknowledges those of British heritage whilst ignoring New Zealand’s Māori population and other ethnic groups.
When was the second referendum on the New Zealand flag?
The second referendum took place between 3 and 24 March 2016 and asked voters to choose between the selected alternative (the black, white and blue silver fern flag) and the existing New Zealand flag. The final decision was to keep the current flag.
Why is the Union Jack on the New Zealand flag?
Generations of young men from New Zealand who were drafted into the armies of New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the British Commonwealth have fought and died under the Union Jack or the current flag. Removing the Union Jack from the flag would be tantamount to disrespecting the efforts and sacrifice of these soldiers.
Is the New Zealand flag the same as the Australian flag?
There is no consensus among proponents of changing the flag as to which design should replace the current one. Common criticisms of the existing form of the New Zealand flag are its similarity to the Australian flag and the inappropriateness of retaining the Union Jack in the design.