Flag?

[scumdog]

In fact I believe that almost every nation's flag in the world (including our current one) were decided by the government, what other nation has let the people decide on their flag?

TBH I don't understand the complaints over the way the voting worked, a winner had to be decided and even though not enough wanted my first pick for it to be considered they did take into account my 2nd pick and it got chosen to be the one that goes up against the ghastly shitter we currently have for a flag.
In March I'll be voting to change to the new flag, I don't really know how many will also vote for it but I'd be willing to bet gjm $100 that it will be more than 20%.

It seems my vote will cancel yours....

[Moi]

I am yet to be convinced by a coherent, considered, and well-reasoned argument that we need a new flag...

[JATZ]

I am yet to be convinced by a coherent, considered, and well-reasoned argument that we need a new flag...

Same

Yes well you get your (sham) voting on the flag - but will you even get that on the TPPA? - (shsssh it's too secret to mention!)

TPPA is being signed up next month! - In New Zealand! Bet you didn't know that! - Otago Daily Times this morning page 22 0f 23 small insignificant article.

Why was it buried in the bowels of the paper? I have my suspicions....
It's being signed here cause the general public are to apathetic to do anything about it. Should be a nice quiet get together for the scum involved though.

[Akzle]

It's being signed here cause the general public are to apathetic to do anything about it. Should be a nice quiet get together for the scum involved though.

[Moi]

Who are you suggesting we burn?

[JATZ]

Who are you suggesting we burn?

THEM!!

[Madness]

It's being signed here cause the general public are to apathetic to do anything about it. Should be a nice quiet get together for the scum involved though.

Who's making the scones?

[Moi]

THEM!!

Shall we compare our lists of "THEM" later, hate to have duplications...

meantime, I'm off to gather faggots...

[mashman]

Don't have a flag at all as it promotes racial segregation... which is against at least 1 law. I'll not be breaking the law by voting for any flag.

[Moi]

Who's making the scones?

I'd suggest laxative chocolate chip cookies should also be on the afternoon tea table...

[Oakie]

I am yet to be convinced by a coherent, considered, and well-reasoned argument that we need a new flag...

Exactly the same could be said about keeping the old flag!

I was thinking about it on the ride home tonight and came to the conclusion that there is no right or wrong in this argument. Some people value tradition and others are happy to move on from old established things. Both views are valid ... no one is is wrong and in the end the majority will decide what happens. I think it will actually be very close now that everyone knows what is going head to head. 43% bothered to vote for change so I'd imagine many of those will still vote for change even if their preferred flag did not make it.

43% voting is about normal for a referendum, by-election or local body election. Can't read anything into that. Add that this referendum was only a preliminary with the main one still to come and it's quite a respectable result.

Will the $26mill be wasted if we don't change? No. It means that we've had the conversation and at least we'll get the issue buried one way or another. Won't arise again in my lifetime.

I just hope everyone who grizzles either way now takes the trouble to vote and thus earn the right to grizzle afterwards should they lose.

I've not delved into the Flag Consideration Committee's info but am wondering (for the sake of the RSA types) if the legislation, when drafted should the new flag win, should say there is no problem with the old flag continuing to be flown alongside the new flag when it being done in a memorial way (like ANZAC parades or outside of RSAs etc).

[Madness]

Jo Glenn reckons "fuckit"

Interesting to see what he'd rather spend the money on.

http://www.maoritelevision.com/news/...z-flag-changes

[MarkH]

It seems my vote will cancel yours....

You like the old flag, really?
TBH I don't really understand anyone preferring the old flag, I just can't see how it makes a good flag to represent our country.

[Moi]

... I just can't see how it makes a good flag to represent our country.

You want to give your reasons for this belief?

[bogan]

Sorry for resurrecting this, but it still pisses me off.

It took several rounds of vote re-evaluation (proportional representation) to finally get the blue and black flag into first place. It's a crap system, but it was laid down and described before voting started.

So now we have is a situation where just 43% of eligible voters bothered to register and vote. Under half the population have any interest in changing the flag.

Once votes were counted, none of the options got 50% of votes cast. This means no proposed new design got even 21% of eligible voters backing it.

Now we're going to have another vote on whether the current flag should be replaced with some black and blue hankie that (probably) less than 20% of the population want. (Incidentally, independent polls suggested less than 1 in 5 people want to change the current flag before voting commenced.)

Doesn't sound like value for $26M, does it? And anyone who says it isn't much money, whether in the grand scheme of things or not, can give me 1% of what is [I]actually[I] spent in this distracting debacle.

See, the flaw in your logic is assuming the apathetic have a view worth noting. They don't. If somebody doesn't turn up to vote, they don't get counted, it's that simple. That whole vote performed exactly as it was supposed to, and that it needed to.

Now the next vote offers a very simple question, and those to apathetic to answer it still won't have a say, so good fucking job. So we'll get a very simple answer, which reflects the will of the people.

I really don't see why so many fucking muppets are bitching about an effective democratic process; for fucks sake