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
New Zealand Flag Institute 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 for. It also encourages New Zealanders to