New Zealand flag debate and the New Zealand Tourism Board in 1998, and ex-Prime Minister John Key in 2010. Key later changed his preference to Kyle Lockwood's "Silver Fern (Red, White & Blue)" design, due to the similarity of the silver fern flag with the Jihadist black flag, used by Islamic extremist groups such as ISIL. Amongst the public, polls have shown that the silver fern is the most preferred alternative design for a new national flag. However, the New Zealand Flag Institute criticises the black and white silver fern design as the logo of some of New Zealand's sporting teams rather than the
National colours of New Zealand It has gradually become a representative flag for Māori across New Zealand, but is still known as the Tino Rangatiratanga Flag. In 2009, the Minister of Māori Affairs stated that a Māori flag should be flown at Auckland Harbour Bridge on Waitangi Day, the National Day of New Zealand. The Tino Rangatiratanga Flag was recognised as the preferred Māori flag by Cabinet on 14 December 2009. On Waitangi Day 2012, it was flown for the first time at the Wellington Town Hall, and the mayor of Wellington said that it should be the "start of a long-running tradition". In addition