New Zealand to Australia: Get your own flag
“We had a flag that we’ve had for a long time, copied by Australia.”
www.sbs.com.auHere’s a quick update on recent discussions around New Zealand and Australia flags.
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Summary of current status: Neither country has officially adopted a new national flag in recent years. New Zealand held a 2016 referendum on replacing its flag with a silver fern design, but the proposition was rejected by voters, so the existing flag remains in place. Australia’s flag has not undergone a similarly final referendum process in the period since; it continues to use the current design featuring the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star, and the Southern Cross.[8][9]
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Context on the debate: The flag issue in both countries has often centered on identity and symbolism, with critics arguing that the Union Jack implies colonial ties while supporters say the current designs are recognizable and stable. In New Zealand, discussions sometimes resurfaced in media and public discourse following comparisons or remarks about design similarities with Australia’s flag. Media coverage occasionally notes public confusion between the two flags due to their shared elements (blue field, Union Jack, and southern constellation), which has fueled commentary rather than official policy changes.[5][6][7][10]
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How to distinguish the flags (quick guide):
- New Zealand: dark blue field, Union Jack in the canton, four red stars of the Southern Cross to the right.
- Australia: dark blue field, Union Jack in the canton, six white stars (five in the Southern Cross cluster plus the large Commonwealth Star beneath the Union Jack).
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Notable historical note: In 2018, there were public statements from New Zealand leaders suggesting Australia should reconsider its flag design, arguing New Zealand had already explored a redrawing option; however, this did not lead to an official change of flag in Australia or New Zealand.[2][4][6]
If you’d like, I can pull the latest official statements or recent polls from reliable sources and summarize any new developments in a concise timeline. I can also provide a side-by-side visual distinction guide or a short infographic-style summary. Would you prefer a written brief, or a simple comparison chart? I’ll include citations with each factual point.