by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
With plans to design a new flag for the country, the four final designs were announced on Tuesday by Deputy Prime Minister for New Zealand, Bill English.
The announcement was made at the National Museum at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington.
A total of nearly 10,300 submissions were submitted for selection, with only 40 shortlisted.
Submissions were uploaded to the government website with the most outstanding designs selected.
Of the 40, only four were shortlisted and announced for the new flag design.
Amongst the four, a thorough polling from the public will be taken in before officially choosing a new flag.
The four designs were made by (i) Alofi Kanter with Silver Fern (Black & White), (ii) Andrew Fyfe of Wellington with Koru, and Kyle Lockwood from Wellington with (iii) Silver Fern (Red, White & Blue) and (iv) Silver Fern (Black, White & Blue).
According to Professor John Burrows, the panel’s decision had been guided by the responses it received from thousands of people about what New Zealand “stands for”, as well as its own criteria.
The designs are now on display for public’s consultation with a binding postal referendum being held between 20th November and 1st December.
A second referendum is planned to be held in March next year, where a final preferred alternative will be adopted and used against the current flag.
