New Zealand will hold a referendum on whether to change its national flag in the next three years, prime minister John Key announced Monday.
In a speech at Victoria University, Key said that the current flag, which features the Southern Cross constellation and the Union Flag, "symbolises a colonial and post-colonial era whose time has passed", adding that the Union Flag dominates the flag in a way that "[New Zealanders] are no longer dominated by the United Kingdom".
Key admitted he liked the All Blacks' silver fern as an alternative design, but was open to all suggestions, noting that keeping the current flag was also a "very possible outcome of this process".
Key said there were no intentions to cut ties with the British monarchy, adding that he felt "no groundswell of support" for further detachment from the United Kingdom.
A poll taken last year showed that only 28 percent of respondents wanted to change the flag, with 72 percent happy with the current design. Representatives of the armed forces argued that many have fought and died under the historic flag.
David Cunliffe, leader of the opposition Labour Party said that the referendum is a "broad constitutional issue" and that "if the country wants a debate about the flag so be it". However, it won't be "the primary issue" in the upcoming September election.
[Image via Flickr]
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