[caption caption="Four Grandfinalists Designs Submitted"][/caption]Can you make any difference between Australian flag and one from New Zealand when your eyes on the map? Guess the answer is No. NZ's Prime Minister John Key has just announced four shortlisted finalists of the country's new design of national flag, known as #nzflag by netizens.
Three of them with the silver fern, another one with the black and white Koru, these unofficial icon are widely adapted into the new designs. The four grandfinalists have topped over 10,000 designs submitted for the national quest. The current NZ flag however, with traditional Union Jack on the top corner - marks British legacy and commonwealth of the nations, and four southern Cross constellation which looks similarly to Australian flag. Besides, Silver Fern has already becoming national icon since years. NZ's national soccer team are proudly put it on. And most importantly, it brings the spirit of Maori, the value of surroundings and creation.
The people of NZ have been really much concerned on thia issue. New Zealanders would be given the choices to vote in a planned referendum somewhere between November or December, this year, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Bill English at the Museum Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, Tuesday (9/1) morning.
However, despite the national enthusiasm on this flag design quest, #nzflag panel is accused by lack of transparency, abandoned people's involvement on flag's shortlisting. The race is however just the matter of PM Key's personal taste. Panels claimed they have involved over one million New Zealanders by social media, for the process.But what if we hear directly the opinion from our New Zealand friend Ms. Sammi Curtis. Here is the short interview with her:
R: Hi Sammi, Kia Ora! How are you doing? How’s New Zealand?
S: Kia Ora! Lovely thank you! It’s a bit chilly down here but spring is here and it’s finally warming up a little
R: So how’s the new flag competition. Did you participate?
S: The flag competition has been very interesting!  To be honest I felt as though it came right out of left field, but a lot of people saw it coming a mile off!  I think it’s a very strange (and risky) thing for a Prime Minister experiencing diminishing popularity to undertake but he’s done it and I suppose we have to live with it!  No I didn’t participate in the design a new flag stage (you’ll see why shortly!) but I will certainly be participating in the next stage (the referendum)
R: Do you like all new designs proposed?
S: My answer to this question is simply NO but only because I do not want the flag to change!  If I had to choose out of the four flags that have been shortlisted by the panel I would chose the red and blue, with the white fern and four stars (the southern cross), but only if I HAD to – which I don’t.  I will be voting to keep our blue, red and white flag of the Union Jack and Southern Cross.  Thousands of men and women have died for this flag  it is a flag that represents one of the most forward thinking, environmentally friendly and history rich nations in the world.  There are so many arguments for and against but at the end of the day the flag is our national identity and it would be such a shame to try and reinvent a new one for absolutely no reason.
R: In your opinion, would you pick Southern Cross, Fern, or a Kiwi??
S: Again, I would pick none of them.  I will be voting not to change our flag.  I believe it is important to keep the significant Union Jack on our flag because without our British Ancestors, New Zealand wouldn’t be the nation that it is today – this Union Jack signifies our allegiance to and association with the Crown. The southern cross represents how both our Maori Ancestors and European Ancestors found our land - why take that away from our identity. There is no changing the fact that New Zealand was a colony of the British Empire – it’s a proud part of our history and is reflected in our flag just as the southern cross represents our Maori history.
R: What is your message to all fellow New Zealanders? Thank you Sammi!
S: Although I do not want the flag to be changed, I believe in democracy.  If the majority of New Zealand wants to change the flag – then so be it.  I would dearly love to see a Maori take on our current flag if it had to be changed.  I have attached a picture of one of my more favoured entries to the competition!
I suppose my message would be, ‘instead of reinventing an image and identity for a country renowned around the world, why not celebrate the rich history and pride behind the flag that we have always fought for – on the rugby field, in the court house, on the battle field.’
The most disappointing aspect of this whole debacle has been the fact that this competition and referendum is costing the country $26 million.  There are so many more important aspects of Kiwi’s lives that could and can be enriched with this amount of money – education, child poverty, domestic abuse to name just a few.  A referendum on a flag will change no one’s life; it won’t feed anybody and all it does is make a mockery of New Zealand’s priorities.
Thank you, Sammi!
Anyway, to choose a new identity or symbol for one country, is not actually an easy job, though it might looks so. What actually New Zealand do is really distinct, and let us see what will happen next with this pros and cons.
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Follow Ms. Sammi Curtis via Twitter on @sammi_curtis
Also follow my instagram @schmidtram and we will openly discuss this issue, in political perspective.
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