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A member of the panel choosing designs for the flag referendum says many of the submissions so far include Maori or indigenous motifs.
The 12-member panel has until August to choose four designs to put to a vote, with the winner to be put up against the current flag in a second referendum.
Malcolm Mulholland says there has been interest from Maori in the process, particularly once they find out something about the history of the flag.
He says there have already been about 200 designs submitted to the panel’s standfor website.
People are looking at what is unique to New Zealand.
"If we look historically at what has been proposed as an alternate flag design, more often than not we will see the silver fern which is indigenous to Aotearoa, we'll see the kiwi, and we will see the koru as well. Those designs seem to be coming loud and strong through this process, and that I think raises a really interesting conversation around national identity and the palace of symbolism and what have you," Mr Mulholland says.
The panel is about to start a road show about the flag referendum process, which will run until July when designs close.
www.standfor.co.nz
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