New Zealand flag debate flag with a silver fern on the fly. The proposal attracted little support. In 1988, Minister of Foreign Affairs Russell Marshall made a call for a flag change, which also had little effect. The "New Zealand Listener" magazine held a flag design contest in 1989, attracting nearly 600 entries. Out of the seven semi-finalists, which included the national flag and the United Tribes Flag, the national flag won with a minority vote of 45.6%. In February 1992, the former Minister of Māori Affairs, Matiu Rata, called for a flag change "to re-establish our national identity". In 1998, Prime Minister Jenny
Flag of the Governor-General of New Zealand the timing coinciding with the official observance of the Queen's birthday. It is a blue field featuring the shield of the coat of arms surmounted by a Royal Crown (depicted as St Edward's Crown) in the centre. The previous design was deemed to be too 'colonial' and lacking in New Zealand elements. The new design was flown for first time at ceremonies at Government House, Auckland on 5 June 2008 and at Government House, Wellington on 17 June 2008. The flag of the Governor-General occupies the same position in New Zealand that a Royal Standard does in the United Kingdom.