A bill passes the NZ parliament for two referendums to change the flag and remove the Union Jack. There will be two postal votes: one between 20 November and 11 December, the second in March 2016. Firstly, voters will be asked to rank four designs in order of priority. In the second poll, voters will choose between the current flag and the most preferred alternative from the first vote. NZ does not have compulsory voting. The cost of the change is estimated as NZ$2.66m. The Flag Consideration Panel of 12 members (five women), appointed by the Government in February 2015 selected a long list of 40 designs – not a kiwi in sight – from 10,292 submissions and will decide the final four for the first vote. Australia, this is how it is done! Check out the NZ Government’s informative flag change website, click on link below
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
