2015–16 New Zealand flag referendums design well-liked by supporters of changing the New Zealand flag who disapprove of the silver fern flag and other similar proposed designs. Despite not being selected by the official Flag Consideration Panel, the Red Peak design was supported by a grassroots social media campaign. An online petition to support inclusion of the flag design as an option for the referendum gained support from 50,000 petitioners in fewer than two weeks, and was handed over to Parliament by David Seymour on 16 September 2015. On 23 September, the Green Party MP Gareth Hughes attempted to introduce a bill to parliament to
Declaration of the Independence of New Zealand Zealand. The need for a flag of New Zealand first became clear when the merchant ship the "Sir George Murray", built in the Hokianga, was seized by customs officials in the port of Sydney. The ship had been sailing without a flag—a violation of British navigation laws. New Zealand was not a colony at the time and had no flag. The ship's detainment reportedly aroused indignation among the Māori population. Unless a flag was selected, ships would continue to be seized. The flag, amended slightly when officially gazetted, became the first distinctively New Zealand flag. As late as 1900 it