Change the NZ Flag

Change the NZ Flag was a group campaigning for New Zealanders to change the Flag of New Zealand. The group described itself as "an independent, non-political, design-neutral society that is committed to building support for, and involvement with, the flag change process."[2]

Change the NZ Flag
Named afterThe flag of New Zealand
PredecessorThe NZ Flag.com Trust
Formation2003 (2003)
FounderLloyd Morrison
Extinction25 January 2018 (2018-01-25)[1]
Legal statusNon-profit
PurposeCampaigning for New Zealanders to change the Flag of New Zealand
Region
New Zealand
Campaign chair
Lewis Holden
Administrator
Gwynn Compton
Main organ
New Flag New Zealand Inc.[1]
Websitewww.changetheflag.nz

Originally founded by Wellington businessman Lloyd Morrison as the NZ Flag.com Trust, the group reformed in 2015 as "New Flag New Zealand Incorporated" to campaign in the referendums on the issue. New Flag New Zealand Incorporated was dissolved in 2018.[1] The group was affiliated with Ausflag, a trust promoting a redesign of the Flag of Australia.

History

The group was originally the NZ Flag.com Trust, established in 2003 by Wellington businessman Lloyd Morrison with the goal of bringing about a referendum on the issue under the Citizens Initiated Referendum Act 1993. The Trust was a non-profit charitable trust and relied on donations and proceeds from the sale of merchandise to fund its operation.

Petition to change flag

In January 2005, the Trust launched a petition to bring about a citizens' initiated referendum on the issue. Had it been successful, a referendum would have been held at the 2005 general election. However, the Trust failed to attract enough signatures, and six months after its launch, the petition had been signed by 100,000 people (the signatures of 270,000 – 10 per cent of eligible voters – were required to trigger a referendum).[3] After Telecom New Zealand and New Zealand Post reneged on an offer to distribute the petition nationwide, the Trust withdrew the petition.

Lloyd Morrison attributed the failure to apathy from the general public, while supporters of New Zealand's current flag attributed the petition's failure to the popularity of that flag.[3]

Flag referendums
Main article: 2015–2016 New Zealand flag referendums

In 2014, Prime Minister John Key announced his intention to hold a referendum on New Zealand's flag. In May 2015, the group launched a campaign in support of changing the flag.[2] With the NZ Flag.com Trust dissolved, a new group, New Flag New Zealand Incorporated, with many of the same members, was formed.[1]

Following the failure of the flag referendum, Change the NZ Flag was wound-up and its web domain and Facebook page were taken over by New Zealand Republic, also led by Lewis Holden.

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See also

References
  1. "New Flag New Zealand Incorporated – dissolved".
  2. "Change the NZ Flag launches campaign". Change the NZ Flag. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  3. "Editorial: Fervour for the flag carries the day". New Zealand Herald. 4 August 2005. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
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