Flag of the Governor-General of New Zealand in the centre of the Southern Cross." Succeeding Governors found it convenient to use this flag on shore and it became accepted as the official viceregal flag. In 1907 New Zealand's status was officially transformed from self-governing colony to Dominion. To mark the transition to independence, the New Zealand Government recommended that the garland of laurels on the Governor’s flag should be replaced by one of fern leaves; the fern leaf was already recognised as one of New Zealand's national symbols. In a letter of 5 January 1908 the Governor requested that the garland around the badge on his flag
2015–16 New Zealand flag referendums image for the country could lead to a net financial gain, especially through exports and tourism. The public opposition to a flag change was also contrasted with prime minister John Key's disproportionate drive to run the referendums, and members of parliament accused him of attempting a flag change as his "vanity project" or populist bread and circuses. New Zealand First accused the referendum of acting as a distraction from poverty and housing issues. Various members of parliament accused the process and documents of being biased. Trevor Mallard and Phil Goff claimed that the final list of members of the Flag