Flag of New Zealand the Labour Party at their national conference. In November 1979 Minister of Internal Affairs Allan Highet suggested that the design of the flag should be changed, and sought an artist to design a new flag with a silver fern on the fly, but the proposal attracted little support. In March 1994 Prime Minister Jim Bolger made statements supporting a move towards a republic. In response Christian Democrat MP Graeme Lee introduced a Flags, Anthems, Emblems, and Names Protection Amendment Bill. If passed, the Bill would have entrenched the Act that governs the flag and added New Zealand's anthems, requiring a
New Zealand Flag Institute fly the flag whenever and wherever possible. New Zealand Flag Institute The New Zealand Flag Institute was established in 2005 amidst a campaign by the NZ Flag.com Trust for a referendum to change the New Zealand flag. The campaign to bring about a citizens initiated referendum on the subject subsequently failed. The organisation was founded by Auckland John Cox (1965-2017), a New Zealand vexillolographer and lawyer. The Institute's primary aim is to educate New Zealanders about the history and symbolism of the New Zealand Flag. The Institute also aims to encourage people to understand and appreciate what the flag stands