Flag of New Zealand
The flag of New Zealand, also known as the New Zealand Ensign,[1] is based on the British maritime Blue Ensign – a blue field with the Union Jack in the canton or upper hoist corner – augmented or defaced with four red stars centred within four white stars, representing the Southern Cross constellation.[2]
Use
1:2
24 March 1902
(In use since 1869)
A Blue Ensign with a Union Jack in the first quarter and four five-pointed red stars with white borders on the fly representing the Southern Cross.
1:2
Introduced in 1903.
A Red Ensign with a Union Jack in the first quarter and four five-pointed white stars on the fly representing the Southern Cross.
1:2
Introduced in 1968.
A defaced British White Ensign with four five-pointed red stars representing the Southern Cross.
1:2
Introduced in 1939.
A modified form of the RAF Ensign with the letters "NZ" superimposed in white over the central red disc.
New Zealand's first internationally accepted national flag, the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand, was adopted in 1834, six years before New Zealand's separation from New South Wales and creation as a separate colony following the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Chosen by an assembly of Māori chiefs at Waitangi in 1834, the flag was of a St George's Cross with another cross in the canton containing four stars on a blue field. After the formation of the colony in 1840, British ensigns began to be used. The current flag was designed and adopted for use on the colony's ships in 1869, was quickly adopted as New Zealand's national flag, and given statutory recognition in 1902.
For several decades there has been debate about changing the flag.[3] In 2016, a two-stage binding referendum on a flag change took place with voting on the second final stage closing on 24 March. In this referendum, the country voted to keep the existing flag by 57% to 43%.[4]
Flags forming the Union Jack
The flag commonly known as the tino rangatiratanga (te reo Māori for 'absolute sovereignty') flag was designed in 1989. It has been acknowledged as a national flag for the Māori.[71]
There are two official flags which, when flown in the appropriate circumstance, take precedence over the national flag of New Zealand:
In addition, the New Zealand Police, New Zealand Fire Service, New Zealand Customs Service, and the services of the New Zealand Defence Force have their own flags. A few local authorities have commissioned their own flags, such as that of the City of Nelson.[69]