Flag debates

Flags in schools

In the 19th and early 20th century there was considerable public and government support for flag raising ceremonies in schools. Regulations introduced during the Second World War to dictate when and how schools held ceremonies to honour the flag also appeared to have been widely supported. But plans a few decades later to reinvigorate these regulations and make daily flag raising in schools compulsory aroused great debate. Read more about flags in schools.

Burning the flag

In 1981 Parliament passed the Flags, Emblems and Names Protection Act. This act strengthened existing legislation relating to the New Zealand flag, and gave formal protection to certain flags and emblems. It also made it an offence to destroy or damage the New Zealand Flag ‘in any manner with the intention of dishonouring it'. Read more about flag burning

Calls for a new flag

There have been numerous calls in the last few decades for a new flag to be adopted. People argue that the current flag is too similar to the Australian one and/or that it is inappropriate for the Union Jack to so dominate our national flag. These arguments have been articulated by some MPs and since 2004 by NZFlag.com. On the other side is the Returned Services Association (RSA). Read more about calls for a new flag