New Zealand PM pushes flag change after election win

Every Kiwi in Australia already uses the fern as their "national" flag so there'd be zero confusion there.

Surely we can come up with something better than what is basically a rugby symbol.

Surely we can come up with something better than what is basically a rugby symbol.

This is a common misconception. See . . . http://www.nzflag.com/silverfern.cfm

Replace the union jack with a Koru. Job done.

How about a sheep and a beer? Nah, still too much like Australia.

This is a common misconception. See . . . http://www.nzflag.com/silverfern.cfm

I'm aware of the silver fern's origins and uses, but let's face it, the silver fern on a black background is largely synonymous with the All Blacks. I just think it would be a lack of creativity to use it as the flag.

If New Zealand held and could get a decent turnout for a referendum on the trivial subject of a flag, I'm not sure if I'd be impressed or not. I couldn't give a toss if the flag of the UK had Thomas the Tank Engine or Harry Potter on it as long as I was given more of a say on topics that matter. Surely there are far more important decisions to be made on issues which affect the lives of the people of New Zealand.

A sheep and a beer, ok, but make the sheep BLACK and make the beer dark, maybe with a big fat KIWI BIRD and NO UNION JACK, then even Aussies will know that they can not mess with New Zealand! Hahaha!

I am all for dumping the union jack, England has done nothing for nz in the last 100 years, their bumbling military caused the deaths of 100s of kiwi soldiers in many battles, look at the history of galipoli for example. The English stood on the decks of ships undecided what to do, while kiwi and aussie soldiers were being slaughtered and the English did nothing.

The English dumped our farming products to join the EU leaving us out in the cold, I say see England good to see the back of you.

NZ make your own identity, if it is the silver fern that is already recognised around the world as NZ then so be it.

@Storm

The Union Flag is the flag of the UK, not England.

These are sensitive times, my friend! ; )

StormR,

Not taking anything away from anyone from any nation who fought at Galipoli, but you best go and read up on it first, before making assumptions about England (UK) forces. The UK had the 2nd most casualties after the Ottoman Empire and more than three times the total number of ANZACs combined.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Monday he would press ahead with plans to hold a referendum to change the national flag following his election triumph.

...because New Zealanders don't really have any other issues to mull over for now.

A black flag would look similar to the one the Islamic lunatics are using in Syria and Iraq.