New Zealand vote to keep current flag

[Fuzz]

For some reason...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zea...505259?cmp=rss

The new flag design is way better. I agree the old one looks to similar to Australia. I thought this would be a sure thing. Good turnout for the vote though, 2/3rdds of voters. Our elections struggle to meet that.

[Resolute 14]

Actually, by New Zealand standards, the voter turnout was poor. Their general elections are usually in the 80% range, though generally (and slowly) falling.

[troutman]

Too bad - new flag was the bomb.

[Bagor]

I'm surprised.

Most of the Kiwi's I've met are fiercely proud of their country as it is today and feel no connection or affiliation with their colonial past.

That, and the alternative choice was awesome.

[Northendzone]

the outcome of this vote really wrecks my flags of the world pool

[Ozy_Flame]

Honestly the black flag with the silver fern would have been a better choice. Their national pride is on the rugby field, it's worn everywhere in NZ, and it moves them past colonialism. I'm thinking the conservatives rallied to keep it as is, although I think the younger generations would have voted otherwise - which is odd considering they usually do have high voter turnout, at least when I lived there.

[polak]

Poor choice.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Honestly the black flag with the silver fern would have been a better choice. Their national pride is on the rugby field, it's worn everywhere in NZ, and it moves them past colonialism. I'm thinking the conservatives rallied to keep it as is, although I think the younger generations would have voted otherwise - which is odd considering they usually do have high voter turnout, at least when I lived there.

How prominent is that fern logo outside of the All Blacks and things related to them?

It makes me wonder if we were voting to change the Red Ensign today, but the option was to use Hockey Canada's logo on the flag, if such a vote wouldn't have failed here too.

[worth]

Too bad. Had the chance to have something unique and interesting across a sea of boring flags.

[_Q_]

That new flag is pretty horrible. A silver fern in a black field would look pretty awesome though.

[Ozy_Flame]

The fern is used everywhere, from shirts, hats and signage to corporate logos and even graffiti. The fern is probably the one object that every Kiwi can relate to; not even Kiwi birds are that universal down there simply because they're rare to see. You basically can't go outside an urban area in NZ without seeing a fern somewhere, unless you are in the far south island.

I suppose they could have used a picture of Gandalf's face if there was a second option.

[Zarley]

That's unfortunate, the new proposal is much better. Ditching the red ensign is one of the best decisions ever made by a Canadian government.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by worth

Too bad. Had the chance to have something unique and interesting across a sea of boring flags.

Like this:

[Ducay]

I don't think the Kiwis realize 99% of the world thinks they're looking at an Aussie flag when they see the NZ one.

[Fuzz]

Yup, not a whole lot of difference. Surprised they wouldn't want something the set themselves apart.

[lazypucker]

More than half the countries in Europe and Africa use the tri-colour designs (vertical or horizontal stripes) and no one seems to complain...

[afc wimbledon]

I suspect it was the fact that the discussion was forced on them, I think the vote was more a large eff you to the PM.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

More than half the countries in Europe and Africa use the tri-colour designs (vertical or horizontal stripes) and no one seems to complain...

Well people around the world don't know Canadian provinces flags, so not like we're expected to know more than just the country of Africa's flag.

[lazypucker]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Well people around the world don't know Canadian provinces flags, so not like we're expected to know more than just the country of Africa's flag.

What does it have to do with provincial flags?

I am saying that many of the European countries' flags are similar - Holland / Russia / Czech, Germany / Belgium, Italy / Hungary / Ireland, along with a whole list of African nations (some combination of red, green, and yellow).

BTW, even people around Canada don't know all of Canadian provincial flags...

[RT14]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Well people around the world don't know Canadian provinces flags, so not like we're expected to know more than just the country of Africa's flag.

Wow. Just wow. Africa doesn't have a flag as its a friggin CONTINENT.