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 New Zealand by certain high-ranking officeholders, including: the Prime Minister and other ministers; ambassadors and high commissioners (when overseas); and the Chief of Defence Force. In such cases, no distinguishing defacement or fringing of the flag is used. The flag is flown at half-mast in New Zealand—always at the discretion of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage—to indicate a period of mourning. Notable occasions on which the flag was half-masted include: the death of former prime minister David Lange, and the death and state funeral of mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary. When the flag is flown at half-mast, it should be lowered