New Zealanders vote against changing flag

Results of a referendum showed 57 per cent of the voters wanted to keep the current flag, with critics dubbing the alternative featuring a silver fern a “beach towel”.

New Zealand voters chose to keep the current design of their national flag, right, instead of adopting the new design with a silver fern, in a referendum that ended on March 24, 2016. Rafael Ben-Ari/RShow more

WELLINGTON // New Zealand voted to retain its national flag in a nationwide poll that ended on Thursday.

After a 16-month exercise that cost taxpayers NZ$26 million ($17.44 million), preliminary results showed that Kiwis wanted to keep the flag – which includes the British Union Jack of its former colonial ruler. The current flag has been the national symbol since 1902.

Results of a referendum showed 57 per cent of the voters wanted to keep the current flag, which is completed by the Southern Cross constellation, with critics dubbing the alternative featuring a silver fern a “beach towel”.

Supporters of change, including prime minister John Key, were hoping to get rid of the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom that still adorns the top left quarter of a handful of Commonwealth flags. Those seeking change say the flag is too closely tied to New Zealand’s colonial history and is too easily confused with the flag of its nearest neighbour, Australia. The only distinction between the two is the colour and number of the Southern Cross stars.

Former rugby All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, a prominent supporter of the new flag, said he realised this before last year’s World Cup final against Australia.

“The moment when I decided a new flag would be great for our country [was when] running out at Twickenham and seeing the two flags looking so similar,” McCaw wrote on his Facebook page.

The alternative flag depicts a white fern on black and blue background with four red stars.

“I voted to keep the flag - not really because I didn’t like the idea of change, more because the proposed new flag is so very ugly and a bit embarrassing,” said Wellington resident Sarah Newbold. “And it reminds me too much of rugby and a corporate logo.”

More than 10,000 potential designs were submitted when Mr Key announced the referendum in October 2014, before that was whittled down to the shortlist.

The multi-million dollar price tag for the referendum had caused some grumbling by voters and opposition politicians but no major political fallout is expected.

Voter turnout in the mail ballot was 67 per cent, with 2.1 million votes cast from the country’s 3.2 million registered voters.

Thursday’s results did not include any ballots that were already in the post but had not yet been received. The final results, which were not expected to significantly change, will be released on March 30.

* Reuters and Associated Press