Lobby group Hobson’s Pledge is pushing for the name “Aotearoa” to be removed from official use until a binding referendum is held to decide whether or not to proceed with changing the name of New Zealand.

Hobson’s Pledge spokespersons Casey Costello and Don Brash launched a petition on Friday calling on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to publicly affirm that the official name of our nation is New Zealand, not Aotearoa New Zealand, or Aotearoa.

The petition also calls on the Prime Minister to instruct all government departments to use the current official name only, which means on New Zealand passports and in all communications where the name of New Zealand appears.

“The name ‘Aotearoa’ is not culturally or historically recognised by Maori as the name of our country,” Casey Costello said.

“Something as fundamentally important as changing the very name of the country must eventually be the subject of a referendum,” Don Brash said.

“Tourism and all exporters use the correct name in promotions and trade discussions involving people who live around the world because our country is known as New Zealand,” Ms Costello said.

“Anyone in business understands the importance of brand. Efforts to change this is part of a woke project that is for domestic consumption only,” she said.

“The name 'New Zealand' is both an identity and a brand that has been built over 180 years. We should think long and hard before changing it,” Dr Brash said.

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