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# new flag
New Zealand could have chosen itself a pretty crazy flag design
The people picking the short list were clearly no craic at all.
NEW ZEALAND IS in the process of choosing a new flag.
The country has identified a short list of 40 from which its possible new national symbol will be selected.
An open call was put out for design submissions in May, resulting in more than 10,000 entrants. Out of such a large number there was bound to be a few slightly more unusual creations.
The country will undergo two referendums in the next seven months to make its final decision. One to decide what the replacement flag might be and a second referendum to decide whether it should keep the existing design, which features Britain’s Union flag.
Lets take a look at a few of the flags that didn’t make the short list (but oh how we wish that they had).
Sunny Day
Designed by: Christina Kaldelis from Wellington
Description
Sun, beach, cricket, ice cream = perfect day
Fire the Lazar!
Designed by: James Gray from Auckland
Description
The laser beam projects a powerful image of New Zealand. I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed.
The Fonz
Designed by: Louis Valenzuela from Auckland
Description
Nothing says welcome to New Zealand like this flag.
Deranged cat raking its garden
Designed by: Jeong Hyuk Fidan from Canterbury
Description
Who doesn’t love a cat that rakes its own garden?
Sheep and Hokey Pokey
Designed by: Jesse Gibbs from Canterbury
Description
This design represents all of NZ because we have lots of sheep and love hokey pokey ice cream. I even included the blue and red to keep all of you naysayers happy. Kiwi as bro.
Buzzy Tiki
Designed by: Stole it from Lester Hall from Northland (Suggested by: Sharon Greig from Northland)
Description
Why would this make a good flag? Because its fun, we need to smile more often, and perhaps take ourselves less seriously. And to provide the panel with a reprieve from the tyranny of all those dreadful kiwi/fern/Walters silhouettes.
Our parliament is called the beehive so it seems natural that we reference the Buzzy Bee, the overall connotation being that we are a nation of busy little bees running around collecting honey for the hive (parliament), and like bees our egalitarian intention is the greater good for all. This image is appropriated from the artist Lester Hall www.lesterhall.com
Happy Giraffe
Designed by: Michael Strong from Wellington
Description
I like giraffes. They’re much better than horses because horses have small necks and can’t eat trees.
Read: Could New Zealanders be ditching the Union Jack for this flag? It’s on a list of 40 choices
Also: This high tech New Zealand ‘man cave’ is like something out of 1950s science fiction
