Stalinda changing our countries name.

[pritch]

"Aotearoastan" seems rather appropriate...

Nah, it doesn't make sense. Katy Hopkins, and others of that ilk, refer to Londonistan and think they are deriding the place. Unwittingly they are actually correct. A "stan" is a place where a people live. Afghanistan is where the Afghans live. The Tajiks live in Tajikistan, and the Uzbeks live in Uzbekistan and so on. Thus Londonistan is where the Londoners live. Katy is only half as witty as she thinks.

For such an idea to work here you'd have to try something like Kiwistan. That works, but I don't think it'll catch on.

[MD]

Oh dear someone has opened a can of worms. I don't like New Zealand as our name or Aotearoa. Abel Tasman was lazy taking an existing place name and just sticking 'New' in front of it. Slacker never even bothered to step foot on the land. Totally lacking original thought and effort. Just like New York, New Jersey, New Plymouth- laziness. At what point does a place no longer become 'new'? So a referendum is in order.

Our independent nationhood was forged at Gallipoli and those New Zealanders fought for New Zealand under a New Zealand flag. I would safely say not one of them described themself as an Aotearoan. Therefore I recommend Zealandia as our country name. That pays tribute to the ANZACs and avoids the Maori vs New Zealand proponents arguing until the cows come home. A neutral, sort of middle ground word (latin), neither a Te Reo or English word. We would get to walk last at the Olympic games (unless Zimbabwe turn up) - as far as possible away from those Aussies.

As for Government departments adopting names in a language that only 4% of the population speak (Statistic dept 2018) I have to question the logic as an effective means of communication when your audience is the general population of NZ of which 95% speak English. Same for our news readers. Communication = one party sends a message and the receiver understands the message. I'd call that a fail by our newsreaders.

Edit- hopefully this can be discussed without becoming a racial slinging match. It's about democracy and common sense and practicality and finding a name that best reflects that we are a nation of multiple ethnic immigrants that settled a new world and for the most part have displayed to the world how different ethnic people can live in harmony and respect each others cultures and heritage. Well done everyone!

[Oakie]

Awsome. Instead of being from "NZ"....we an say we are from "A"...or if they combine A and NZ...well...that bank owns a lot of us now anyway.

So instead of having ANZAC Day we'd have AAAC Day?

[tri boy]

For such an idea to work here you'd have to try something like Kiwistan. That works, but I don't think it'll catch on.

Tack an i between the a and the n, and i would run it up the flag pole.

[Laava]

Who voted to have our countries name changed at the last election? The latest is
It seems we are now not New Zealanders we are fucken Aotearoens or some fucken thing. This woke ,pc, commie bitch needs to fuck off.

Lol, are you an american? This whole "if you think differently to me, you must be a communist" is a laughably ignorant attitude. Maybe posting in social media is not for you eh?
More than happy to see the arse end of the union jack off our flag too...

[nerrrd]

Who voted to have our countries name changed at the last election? The latest is
It seems we are now not New Zealanders we are fucken Aotearoens or some fucken thing. This woke ,pc, commie bitch needs to fuck off.

Well Jacinda probably thinks you're a stinky poo-brain, so there.

[Autech]

Oh dear someone has opened a can of worms. I don't like New Zealand as our name or Aotearoa. Abel Tasman was lazy taking an existing place name and just sticking 'New' in front of it. Slacker never even bothered to step foot on the land. Totally lacking original thought and effort. Just like New York, New Jersey, New Plymouth- laziness. At what point does a place no longer become 'new'? So a referendum is in order.

Our independent nationhood was forged at Gallipoli and those New Zealanders fought for New Zealand under a New Zealand flag. I would safely say not one of them described themself as an Aotearoan. Therefore I recommend Zealandia as our country name. That pays tribute to the ANZACs and avoids the Maori vs New Zealand proponents arguing until the cows come home. A neutral, sort of middle ground word (latin), neither a Te Reo or English word. We would get to walk last at the Olympic games (unless Zimbabwe turn up) - as far as possible away from those Aussies.

As for Government departments adopting names in a language that only 4% of the population speak (Statistic dept 2018) I have to question the logic as an effective means of communication when your audience is the general population of NZ of which 95% speak English. Same for our news readers. Communication = one party sends a message and the receiver understands the message. I'd call that a fail by our newsreaders.

Edit- hopefully this can be discussed without becoming a racial slinging match. It's about democracy and common sense and practicality and finding a name that best reflects that we are a nation of multiple ethnic immigrants that settled a new world and for the most part have displayed to the world how different ethnic people can live in harmony and respect each others cultures and heritage. Well done everyone!

Considering that the language was actively suppressed for many years I'm not sure we can use the 4% of population can speak argument fairly. There should be a greater percentage able to speak it but sadly active measure were put in place before our time to prevent that.

Depends on whether this generation should have to take ownership of wrongs before us or not... Considering my heritage I'm 75% sure none of my ancestors were responsible, so does that make me less liable than someone who's blood lines trace back to that time?

Where it comes down to is where does the buck stop. My personal hope is to see NZ not part of the crown anymore, they're the ones that caused the mess but it's the NZ taxpayer fronting for it still...
Until we establish our own identity outside of that (which includes all our cultures) I don't ever see us operating as a united nation. Sadly we missed it big time when we failed to get the union jack off our flag (poorly executed by John Key and the opposition IMO, it should have never been a Nats vs Labour thing).

Personally I agree with Seymours comments on the name, essentially you can call it Timbuktu for all I care, just as long as we can buy an affordable house and live well.

[F5 Dave]

Ok, so I think we are in agreement. Stupid fucking English bureaucrats gave us an Australian flag with one less star on it. Thanks you condescending fuckwits.

Some map maker gave us New Zomeplacethatalreadyexists.

So here's my plan. Convince the Aussies to do their own flag referendum by whipping up social media (probably a Kangaroo drinking a Fosters), then we keep our old flag with the union jack removed. Done.

Then we just need to update our name to something we can all agree on. Nice try MD but Zealandia is a continent.

I think, here it is. . . 'Dave'.

No, wait. . . Te Dave.

[F5 Dave]

Lol, are you an american? This whole "if you think differently to me, you must be a communist" is a laughably ignorant attitude. Maybe posting in social media is not for you eh?
More than happy to see the arse end of the union jack off our flag too...

On a more serious note, some people really need to properly understand what communism really is if throwing it around as a label.

Communism is a failed social experiment which just ends up as an authoritarian regime. Human history has largely had authoritarian regime as its default position whether you get there by fascist strongarming, monarchy, or any other means. Capitalism has been an effective way of building wealth but if you swing too far you end up with massive building inequality and ultimately class wars, the need for stronger stabilisation controls to keep the peace, and oh dear, how did we get here again?

What we have is a centrist government leaning left or right a few degrees depending who is in power.

So 240, enough throwing around labels Shiltler.

[nerrrd]

Sadly we missed it big time when we failed to get the union jack off our flag (poorly executed by John Key and the opposition IMO, it should have never been a Nats vs Labour thing).

I was totally up for the flag change, until I saw what the options were.

It was a purely aesthetic decision for me. Still believe the country dodged a massive bullet there.

[Autech]

I was totally up for the flag change, until I saw what the options were.

It was a purely aesthetic decision for me. Still believe the country dodged a massive bullet there.

This was where they fucked up, nearly 50% were in favour of it, of those that weren't I wonder how many would have been if there were more options. There should have been a "none of these but I'm for it" tick box. Either that or just employ a team of designers, do some research and change the fucking thing without asking the whole nation. Pretty sure that's what Canada did and their flag is fucking awesome.

[Berries]

Stupid fucking English bureaucrats gave us an Australian flag with one less star on it. Thanks you condescending fuckwits.

Laser kiwi.

That's why you cunts need someone else making the decisions.

Or a fucking feather.

[husaberg]

Maybe we should spend 26 million on trying to change the flag that no one other than a few mp's want too instead.

[MD]

Then we just need to update our name to something we can all agree on. Nice try MD but Zealandia is a continent.

I think, here it is. . . 'Dave'.

No, wait. . . Te Dave.

Dave that's the clever bit. First we take the name of the continent that we sit on, that's quite logical (I asked Spock). Then we expand our borders claiming the 'balance of our continent'. Although lets not get too close to the Aussies. Caledonia would be ideal for kiwi baches.

[240]

On a more serious note, some people really need to properly understand what communism really is if throwing it around as a label.

Communism is a failed social experiment which just ends up as an authoritarian regime. Human history has largely had authoritarian regime as its default position whether you get there by fascist strongarming, monarchy, or any other means. Capitalism has been an effective way of building wealth but if you swing too far you end up with massive building inequality and ultimately class wars, the need for stronger stabilisation controls to keep the peace, and oh dear, how did we get here again?

What we have is a centrist government leaning left or right a few degrees depending who is in power.

So 240, enough throwing around labels Shiltler.

There's no a "few degrees "with Stalinda mate are you that fucken brainwashed ? She was a member of the socialist party shall I remind again what the definition of the USSR is? The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics .