NEW ZEALAND FLAGS

CURRENT FLAG

THE NEW ZEALAND FLAG IS THE SYMBOL OF THE REALM, GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND. ITS ROYAL BLUE BACKGROUND IS DERIVED FROM THE ENSIGN OF THE BLUE SQUADRON OF THE ROYAL NAVY. THE STARS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS EMPHASISE THIS COUNTRY'S LOCATION IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN. THE UNION JACK IN THE FIRST QUARTER RECOGNISES NEW ZEALAND'S HISTORICAL ORIGINS AS A BRITISH

COLONY AND DOMINION.

UNITED TRIBES FLAG

THE NEED FOR A FLAG TO REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND WAS FIRST RAISED IN 1830, WHEN THE HOKIANGA-BUILT

TRADING SHIP SIR GEORGE MURRAY WAS SEIZED IN SYDNEY BY CUSTOMS OFFICIALS. AUSTRALIA, NEW

ZEALAND'S MAJOR TRADING MARKET, WAS SUBJECT TO BRITISH NAVIGATION LAWS UNDER WHICH EVERY SHIP WAS REQUIRED TO CARRY AN OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE

DETAILING ITS CONSTRUCTION, OWNERSHIP AND NATIONALITY. AS NEW ZEALAND WAS NOT A BRITISH

COLONY, SHIPS BUILT THERE COULD NOT SAIL UNDER A BRITISH FLAG OR REGISTER. WITHOUT A FLAG, TRADING SHIPS AND THEIR CARGOES WERE LIABLE TO SEIZURE.

NEW ZEALAND WHITE ENSIGN

IN 1968 THE NEW ZEALAND WHITE ENSIGN REPLACED THE BRITISH WHITE ENSIGN THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN USED BY SHIPS OF THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND

NAVY.

NEW ZEALAND RED ENSIGN

THE NEW ZEALAND RED ENSIGN, ADOPTED IN 1903, IS BASED ON THE RED ENSIGN (COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS

THE 'RED DUSTER') THAT HAS BEEN FLOWN FOR CENTURIES BY MERCHANT SHIPS REGISTERED IN THE

UNITED KINGDOM.

NATIONAL MAORI FLAG

ON WAITANGI DAY 2010 THE NATIONAL MĀORI FLAG FLEW FOR THE FIRST TIME OVER THE AUCKLAND

HARBOUR BRIDGE. IT ALSO FLEW AT PARLIAMENT, PREMIER HOUSE, THE NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL AND ON A NUMBER OF OTHER GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S FLAG

THE CURRENT GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S FLAG WAS INTRODUCED IN 2008, REPLACING AN EARLIER VERSION

WHICH HAD BEEN APPROVED BY KING GEORGE V IN 1931 AND ADOPTED BY NEW ZEALAND IN 1937.

QUEEN’S PERSONAL FLAG

THE QUEEN'S PERSONAL FLAG FOR NEW ZEALAND WAS ADOPTED IN 1962 TO SYMBOLISE THE FACT THAT

QUEEN ELIZABETH II IS THE QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND CIVIL AIR ENSIGN

THE QUEEN'S PERSONAL FLAG FOR NEW ZEALAND WAS ADOPTED IN 1962 TO SYMBOLISE THE FACT THAT

QUEEN ELIZABETH II IS THE QUEEN OF NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND ROYAL AIR FORCE ENSIGN

THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE ENSIGN WAS APPROVED IN 1939. IT IS BASED ON THE ROYAL AIR

FORCE ENSIGN, WITH THE LETTERS 'NZ' INSERTED IN THE ROUNDEL.

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