Wellington (2016-04-02)

This week we heard the interim result of the great New Zealand flag referendum, and there will be no change of flag. 

 

The Prime Minister (and big business & national sports teams) wanted a new flag, as the current one is very similar to the Australian flag.  The PM claims that they followed a "world-class" ($26 million)process, but in my view it was anything but....

• The government appointed a committee, stacked with business and sports people, to review new flag designs submitted by the public (a biased committee - strike 1).
• The committee chose 4 designs out of 10,000 submissions,for the public to vote on, through a mail-in ballot, but a lobby group complained that their flag was not included, so a 5th choice was added (did not follow their own process - strike 2).
• The ballot involved preferential voting, so the flag that got the most first choice votes, was not chosen as the possible new flag, after adjusting for the voters' second choices (the flag that was first choice of the most people was not chosen - strike 3).
• The final step in the process was a second mail-in ballot, where voters got to choose between the current flag and the selected alternate flag.  There was good voter turnout and 57% voted to keep the existing flag.

 

This is a great example of the people refusing to change something just because the politicians and businesses decide that it should change.....Power to the People!

 

The Old & New New Zealand Flag



We have had a less active but more cultural experience this week, seeing two movies and visiting a museum.

 

First up was the New Zealand movie "Mahana", a serious show about the intertwined lives of two Maori families, based on the book "Bulibasha" by Witi Ihimaera, who also wrote "The Whale Rider".  A good story and a well-done production.

 

Mahana Poster

Next up we attended the more light-hearted New Zealand movie "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" on its opening day.  This show was based on the book "Wild Pork and Watercress" by well-known New Zealand author Barry Crump.  This is a hilarious show, about a boy in foster care, and is destined to become a kiwi classic.

 

 

Hunt for the Wilderpeople Poster

Jim and Marlene would give both movies two thumbs up!!  Now lets see if either one makes it to Canadian theatres.

 

Today we visited the World War I exhibit at the National War Museum.  It was a very well done exhibition with much detail of New Zealand's involvement in the war.  New Zealand suffered the highest loss of life of any nation in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign, losing 1 of every 3 fighting soldiers (compared with 1 in 7 Australian soldiers).  The Gallipoli exhibit was of particular interest, as I had a Great Uncle who fought there, and survived, only to die two years later at Ypres in Belgium. 

 

To end on a lighter note, I have posted details of a couple of the many words that we have inherited from WWI.

 

 

Pushing Up Daisies (Becoming a Landowner)

 

Bumf (Bum Fodder)

 

We now only have about10 days left in New Zealand and we will be on the road again on Monday, but more on that trip next week.