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The tino rangatiratanga flag will fly from Auckland Harbour Bridge, Premier House and other significant sites on Waitangi Day.
Prime Minister John Key and his Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples announced the decision on Monday afternoon after months of consultation with Maori about which of their flags should be flown on Waitangi Day.
Sharples says more than 1,200 submissions were received and 80% favored the tino rangatiratanga flag, which will now be recognised as the Maori Flag.
The Prime Minister stresses the new flag will not replace the New Zealand flag, but fly alongside it.
Key says it will "recognise the partnership the Crown and Maori entered into when signing the Treaty of Waitangi".
"That flag will have a lot of different meanings to different people but the meaning I take from it is potential and hope," says Key.
Sharples says it is a simple way to recognise the status of Maori as tangata whenua and their contribution to New Zealand.
"However, the New Zealand flag remains the symbol of our nation, and there is no intention to change this, nor to diminish the status of our national flag," Sharples says.
Criticism
However, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is warning that having two flags is divisive.
He says a national referendum should have been held before making the decision and says introducing a new flag is a serious constitutional change.
"It is not a Maori flag, the Maori people haven't been consulted properly on this. Second, it's not a national flag, which country has two flags to fly, and the third most serious issue is that the Prime Minister is trampling on the traditions of this country."
But the Prime Minister says time will prove him right.
"In years to come people will look back at this administration and say it was a small step but never the less a step in the right direction," Key says.
Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry of Culture and Heritage will publish guidelines later this week describing the appropriate way to fly the Maori flag in relation to the New Zealand flag.
What do you think of the tino rangatiratanga flag flying on Waitangi Day? Let us know on our messageboard below:
Add a Comment:
Post new commentmulticultural said on 2009-12-16 @ 15:08 NZDT: Report abusive post
No one can dispute if they look back over the history of this flag that it represents separatism and hence racism, Maori need to choose a neutral and inclusive flag. The Kaumatua at Waitangi won't fly it, John Key has been naive in the extreme, this flag will cause division. Imagine if a radical white group like The National Front wanted their flag flown. National whoring itself to the Maori Party is sadly making it look like a one term government..
RY said on 2009-12-16 @ 14:44 NZDT: Report abusive post
The issue is inciting racial disharmony and as a result is an offence under article 131 of the Human Rights Act 1993 no 82 (as of 1 October 2008) the act mentions a summary conviction with an imprisonment upto 3 months and a fine upto NZ$ 7,000.00 no flag until this is sorted please(would not want to see our PM in jail)
slumbergod said on 2009-12-16 @ 07:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
Until the Maori find a flag that represents them in their unity, this ugly tea towel has no place. Look at the animosity aroused by its display!
Alcyonian said on 2009-12-16 @ 04:08 NZDT: Report abusive post
Maori never had a choice in picking the current flag of NZ. Maori never had a choice in many things. The NZ flag represents INSTITUTIONALISED RACISM. The Maori Flag represents Sovereignty. We never signed away our freedom in the Treaty - it was taken from us. Finally, some autonomy on the horizon. Good times ahead.
swiss kiwi said on 2009-12-15 @ 22:45 NZDT: Report abusive post
Lucky for me here in Switzerland we dont have to worry about such trivial matters as what flag to have and not have. Time for the people of new Zealand to grow up, and get out of the tribal stone age