What’s wrong with the flag we’ve got?

Nothing really, if you look at the style and the colours on its own – it’s actually quite a nice flag, (though others disagree, citing aesthetics, design etc). Nor do I see anything wrong with the Union Jack itself – it’s a great flag for Britain. So as well as those for whom the flag has real meaning, I can understand people simply liking the flag and not wanting it to change, or those who wouldn’t mind if it was changed just a little.

The problem is, if we change the current design only a little, then it will still feel like a British flag, rather than a New Zealand one. That might not matter to some – especially those from Britain, but consider what this means to Maori, Pakeha who know themselves only as New Zealanders, or all the other races and mixes of people that make up New Zealand. There are people in each of those groups who genuinely like and respect the flag, but there are also many others who don’t, and our flag should be something we’re all proud of. The right national flag has the power to unite us. There is evidence the current flag can also divide us, and it is short-sighted to dismiss the whole flag-change debate as "not a priority".

Put simply, our flag is more about Britain than about us. We do have a British heritage, but the New Zealand Coat of Arms (a very good reminder of our history) shows a partnership made under the Crown, between the European settlers on one side, and Maori on the other. From that union could have come our own unique flag that would represent all New Zealanders, without the favour or exclusion of the flag that we have.

Alternatively, the original Maori flag that existed years before the British put up the Union Jack flag could rightly have been retained as the official New Zealand flag. (Note that Maori had lived here for several centuries before the British came and hoisted their own flag in its place. Just stop for a moment and imagine any country doing the same thing to us today and you'll begin to understand). Despite it being clear Maori were not happy with this affront, and Hone Heke showing his anger by chopping the British flag down several times, it was the British way that prevailed. A Maori flag now would never work, but the least we could do is have a new flag that encompasses us all.

The Aussies and us

Officially, our flag is known as the New Zealand Ensign, and is "the British Blue Ensign of the Royal Naval Reserve, with the addition of the Southern Cross". We think of it as being similar to Australia’s flag, but in fact there are a large number of flags that have the same blue background with the Union Jack in the top corner, plus the ones that have the Union Jack with a red or other colour background.

This is most obvious when some of these remaining "colonial" flags are seen together, and presumably each country was given the basic design upon which they could add their own personal touch – in our case, the Southern Cross stars. Contrary to belief, the blue was not designed to represent our sea or sky, but is simply part of the British flag design we were given. When New Zealand became an independent Dominion, it was us who chose to keep this design as our official flag, whereas almost all of the other Commonwealth countries have changed from the original British-prescribed flag. (Make sure you click on the links above). You can see some designs the Australians have considered for a new flag at ausflag.com.au.

Some people say that "other countries don't change their flag", but a look at the history of national flags throughout the world shows that this is incorrect. Some flag changes have been minor, some more radical, but there are many countries with flags much newer than our own. Even the most-established flags from older nations were not immune from change in their earlier years. New Zealand is still a young country, and we have yet to design our own national flag. When we do, then that flag should live on for many generations to come. In the meantime, we present ourselves to the world with a flag designed not by us, but mostly by Britain on our behalf. That is surely at odds with our more-than-capable image.

But what about Britain?

Changing the flag doesn’t make us a republic, and the connection with Britain is not suddenly forgotten. If we continue to remember our British heritage as suggested, then our two countries will still be like a distant part of the family. It’s just that the younger nation has long since grown up and left home, and many of us are ready to take the next step.

For some of us, it’ll be good to feel more kindly towards Britain, once their presence on our flag is no longer cause for resentment. (Chances are, there are a few Brits who wish they could have their flag all to themselves as well). We are a separate country with our own separate identity – proud to be New Zealanders, and our flag should reflect that. Wanting our own independent flag is just like the normal progression of growing up, and is no more an insult to Britain than daughters who marry and change their name. Seen in that light, Britain might even be pleased that we’ve finally decided to have our own flag.

In regard to becoming a republic (which I admit, I was once in favour of), I suggest our flag is the biggest reason some of us feel an intrusion by Britain, and a new flag with no Union Jack might be all that we need to free us from that perception. The truth is, we already have autonomy in New Zealand, and Britain and the Royal Family have little to do with our daily lives, but are there to help if we need them. It's hard to see how a republic can provide anything better for us.

At the moment, we have a Prime Minister and a Governor General, with specific roles that complement each other. Becoming a republic might sound like a good idea, but it would mean having to accept just one person here as our absolute Head of State. We could feel like we have less freedom and independence, rather than more. In any case, it would not be an easy adjustment for us to make. Changing our flag seems a very minor thing, in comparison. If we think about it, having a separate person as our official Head of State (someone we can trust, and who trusts us to run our country as we please), is not such a bad thing! The Monarchy might have its failings and anachronisms, but it achieves far more good than harm in this world, and it seems neither right, nor sensible to disown it.

Preserving our New Zealand heritage

As well as considering our British heritage, we should also be considering our own. New Zealand has made huge changes in a relatively short time, from a land that belonged solely to Maori, to the very multi-cultural society we have today. It’s quite possible that in a hundred years from now, it could be a totally different country altogether.

A flag that is about this country would capture our Kiwi spirit, and be something for us all to aspire to, regardless of where we are from. Other cultures if we let them can enrich our lives with their diversity, but at the same time, the distinctive New Zealand character that has come largely from the Maori/Pakeha combination is something most of us would not want to lose. The way to do this is not by seeing or putting up cultural barriers, but by helping other cultures to fit in. Ideally, we would respect or appreciate harmless differences, and see that we are all one people under the flag. Unfortunately, our current flag doesn’t give us that message.

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