Did Australia steal New Zealand's flag?
Bizarre flag dispute: Did Australia steal New Zealand's flag?
Flags of New Zealand and Australia
TBBLJ, DPA, Tolga Bozoglu
Science fiasco in silly season
Traditionally, special animals have their place during silly season. The dispute that has erupted between New Zealand and Australia at the present time is strange, to say the least.
New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters calls on Australia: Find your own flag! Australia is said to have stolen the design from New Zealand.
Both flags are almost identical – New Zealand has had its flag for 50 years
On the left is the current flag of Australia, and on the right is the flag of New Zealand
RTL Interactive
The Prime Minister is really leaning out the window – he's just a stand-in for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern while on maternity leave. The Deputy Prime Minister said under the slogan: “You copied me!” Live on New Zealand TV: “We've had this flag for a very long time, Australia copied it and they have to admit we came up with the design first.” Oof!
However, he is not wrong. The flags couldn't be more similar – only the number of stars and their design are different. Otherwise the flags resemble one egg to another, and at first glance the flags are almost identical. But while Australia only officially introduced this flag in 1954, New Zealand has had its flag since 1902. That's reason enough for New Zealand's Prime Minister to now accuse Australia of plagiarism – more than 60 years after the flag was introduced.
Proposals for a new New Zealand flag have been rejected by residents
Rejected proposal for a new New Zealand flag (2016)
Kyle Lockwood
The problem is known. Two years ago, there was a large-scale campaign to find a new flag for New Zealand. Among several designs, a flag with a silver fern on a blue and black background was chosen. It's stupid: Residents didn't want a new flag and voted against the project, which was denigrated as a “bath towel.” So – everything is the same, the topic is de-identified, and the flags are very similar.
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That is why the topic is being raised now
So why exactly is Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters making this mothball issue again? It is clear that he urgently needs a little attention during the six-week replacement phase that he does not otherwise get. And did we mention silly season?