3. Maybe in a few years

Presumably when people say this, they mean we should wait till the older generation are gone before changing the flag, so they won’t be upset about it. But every time the flag debate resurfaces, people already get worried and upset about it, and that is not likely to stop. The debate, and all the flag designs that have been shown here and around the world, will continue for as long as the present flag remains, regardless of any referendum. Once we have a new flag, all the talk and the flag designs that aren’t chosen will fade into oblivion. So in that respect, the sooner we get on with it the better.

If we change the flag after the older generation are gone, we’ll just be left feeling guilty that we went against their wishes. I say it's better to seek their blessing now, and have them live the rest of their lives knowing the history of the current flag will continue on (be enhanced even), and that we will continue to honour them and the sacrifices they made (see Page 1). Rest assured the soldiers of tomorrow would be just as passionate about defending our flag and country with a flag that shows only New Zealand. As long as the right new design is chosen, and people realise the old flag won't suddenly disappear, then opponents of change might even come to like the new flag as well.

Of course, some people think the time to change is "when we become a republic". However, that might never happen, so it is pointless in waiting until then. A new flag (without the Union Jack) might give us as much freedom and independence from Britain as we want, without ever having to become a republic at all (explained on Page 2). For example, Canada changed their flag many years ago (1965), but they have not become a republic. In hindsight, the easiest time to change the flag was when we became an independent Dominion (before the World Wars), but we chose to keep the largely British-design flag we had, instead.

Choosing a new flag design

The main flag-change proponents have suggested that the final choice of design would be made by a panel of "independent" prominent New Zealanders, followed by a public vote to choose between that flag design and the current flag. That approach worries me. Any panel of "experts" is bound to get it wrong, and we could still end up with the flag we have now (plus a lot of wasted time and money). To my way of thinking, if the decision has already been made by public vote to change the flag, then the current flag should be kept out of any further choosing, so that we’re not just left with more years of exhausting debate.

A far better way of deciding which new flag design we have would be to gauge clear popular opinion of all the designs on offer (through a website, and in schools, libraries, malls, etc), and then perhaps three or four acceptable designs would be offered for public vote, so that the final choice of flag is made by the people. That way we all get to have our say, and can live with the decision knowing it was made in a very fair way. If enough people choose to get behind the whole process, and we got on with it, rather than taking years and years, it could actually be rather fun waiting to see which new design we have.

What if there’s nothing we like?

Some people (or groups) have promoted their own specific design as " the new flag". They don't have any official right to do that, but their achievement has been to get people talking about what they do or don’t like, and to escalate the process of change. No-one should worry that we’ll end up with a flag we don’t like. Every design that appears is just an idea, and there are lots of other flag options that might not have been seen so publicly, with no doubt more to come. (You can see a range of flags here, and at NZFlag.com). If new designs are presented to the public for approval or not, (and the more people that take an interest the better), we’ll end up with a shortlist of designs that most of us would find acceptable, even if the flag we personally like best is not the one eventually chosen.

It’s such a big step

Changing the flag probably seems a little scary for most of us, but if we can be more comfortable with the idea in general, and the design to be used, then the transition will be made a lot easier. Anyone who doubts they’ll ever get used to a new flag need only think back to the old national anthem. How many people now would still rather have "God Save the Queen"? Incidentally, well done to NZReo for producing all the words to our anthem and the haka for Maori Language Week some years ago. This little black and white card was a brilliant idea and I wish every New Zealander had one. It was also the inspiration for my original flag design. New Zealand pride – absolutely. Hearing our own national anthem at an Olympic Games medal ceremony is awesome – seeing our own truly New Zealand flag would be incredible.

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