New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16
{'<entity_0>': 'New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', '<entity_1>': '11 December 2015', '<entity_2>': 'New Zealand', '<entity_3>': 'referendum'}
[['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'instance of', 'referendum'], ['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'country', 'New Zealand'], ['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'point in time', '11 December 2015'], ['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'start time', '11 December 2015'], ['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'end time', '11 December 2015'], ['New Zealand flag referendums, 2015–16', 'location', 'New Zealand']]
Two <entity_0> were held by the <entity_2> Government in November/<entity_1> and March 2016 and resulted in the retention of the current flag of <entity_2>. The first <entity_3> took place between 20 November 2015 and <entity_1> and asked, "If the <entity_2> flag changes, which flag would you prefer?" The second <entity_3> took place between 3 March 2016 and 24 March 2016 and asked voters to choose between the selected alternative (the black, white and blue silver fern flag) and the existing <entity_2> flag. Then in March, Key announced that <entity_2> would hold a <entity_3> within the next three years asking whether to change the flag design, if the National Party be re-elected for a third term. The results of both referendums were binding, meaning the flag with the most votes in the second <entity_3> would become the official flag of <entity_2>. Opposition parties, Royal <entity_2> Returned and Services' Association (RSA) president Barry Clark and members of the public criticised the <entity_3> plan for costing $26 million which could be spent on other issues. The first <entity_3> started on 20 November 2015 with voting closing three weeks later on <entity_1>. It asks voters to choose between the existing <entity_2> Flag and the preferred alternative design selected in the first <entity_3>.
['referendum']