NZ votes on flag referendum

New Zealanders began voting on Friday to select a potential new flag, as the South Pacific country considers dropping Britain's Union Jack from its national banner.

Voters are being asked to choose between five flag options in a postal referendum that will continue until December 11.

The winning design will then go head-to-head with the existing flag in a second referendum to be held in March next year.

Prime Minister John Key has made the flag reform issue a pet project since his conservative government won a third term late last year. 

He sees the current flag, which has the Union Jack in the corner, as an anachronism, arguing the country needs a standard "that screams New Zealand."
 globaltimes.cn
21/11/15