<p>New Zealand could have a new flag to replace its colonial-era ensign a couple of years and referendums later, Prime Minister John Key announced Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The government has agreed to a timetable and all seven political parties represented in parliament have been invited to take part in the process, Key said in a statement.<br />"Our flag is the most important symbol of our national identity and I believe that this is the right time for New Zealanders to consider changing the design to one that better reflects our status as a modern, independent nation," Key added.<br /><br />"However, as I have also said, retaining the current flag is a possible outcome of this process and the consideration of options will be done carefully, respectfully and with no presumption in favour of change".<br /><br />Deputy Prime Minister Bill English would be the minister responsible for the flag consideration process, which would start with a Flag Consideration Panel, comprising a group of respected New Zealanders, seeking submissions from the public on new flag designs and suggestions.<br /><br />The process would then go to two referendums: the first in November or December next year would ask the public to choose a preferred design from a range put forward by the Flag Consideration Panel, and the second referendum, April 2016, would be a run-off between the preferred design and the current flag.<br /><br />Key stated before last month's general election that the country would decide on a new flag if his government was re-elected, and while the idea has support across the political spectrum, critics say it is a distraction from more important issues.<br /><br />The current flag features the Britain's Union Jack design in the top left corner on a blue field with four white-outlined red stars representing the Southern Cross constellation.</p>
<p>New Zealand could have a new flag to replace its colonial-era ensign a couple of years and referendums later, Prime Minister John Key announced Wednesday.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The government has agreed to a timetable and all seven political parties represented in parliament have been invited to take part in the process, Key said in a statement.<br />"Our flag is the most important symbol of our national identity and I believe that this is the right time for New Zealanders to consider changing the design to one that better reflects our status as a modern, independent nation," Key added.<br /><br />"However, as I have also said, retaining the current flag is a possible outcome of this process and the consideration of options will be done carefully, respectfully and with no presumption in favour of change".<br /><br />Deputy Prime Minister Bill English would be the minister responsible for the flag consideration process, which would start with a Flag Consideration Panel, comprising a group of respected New Zealanders, seeking submissions from the public on new flag designs and suggestions.<br /><br />The process would then go to two referendums: the first in November or December next year would ask the public to choose a preferred design from a range put forward by the Flag Consideration Panel, and the second referendum, April 2016, would be a run-off between the preferred design and the current flag.<br /><br />Key stated before last month's general election that the country would decide on a new flag if his government was re-elected, and while the idea has support across the political spectrum, critics say it is a distraction from more important issues.<br /><br />The current flag features the Britain's Union Jack design in the top left corner on a blue field with four white-outlined red stars representing the Southern Cross constellation.</p>