Monday, 12 October 2015, 1:25 pm Article: Robert Kelly
Wellington City Council Flies the
Flags
Robert Kelly
At
noon on Monday the five flag options for the first
referendum were hoisted over the Wellington Town Hall. The
wind did not disappoint and the contenders for the new
ensign contender spot flapped happily in a spring wind.
The idea for an aerial flag panel was initiated by Mayor
Celia Wade Brown who said that “flying the five
alternatives as well as the current New Zealand flag
provides an opportunity for Wellingtonians to compare each
when they are fluttering in a brisk Capital breeze. We’ll
be able to choose which of the designs looks best in action,
instead of just in print, online or on screen. This will
help the public make an informed decision about the choices
in November.”
A satirical choice to hang ‘Red Peak’
on the far left had not been taken by the council when
hoisting the flags. Another lost opportunity of the flag
selection
process.
Robert is a publisher for Scoop News and reports on things when time allows. He holds a Master's degree in New Zealand Studies from Victoria University and is interested in the role of cultural products in historical moments. He has written for Salient and The Wireless on topics ranging from the visual arts to the role of memory in the imagining of national identity. He still can't work out why there aren't ski lifts to Brooklyn.
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