New Zealand's announces longlist of 40 designs for next flag

...but it could have been so much funnier

The list of the final 40 designs to be New Zealand's next flag (New Zealand government)

An independent panel in charge of choosing a new flag for New Zealand has released the longlist of 40 designs to the public.

Nearly 10,300 were submitted to a government website for consideration before being whittled down by the 16 members of the independent members of the panel.

The panel will now select a shortlist of four to be put to a public vote in a referendum at the end of the year.

The full selection can be seen above and includes some of these gems:

Triangle

Wā kāinga/Home by Grant Alexander (principal), Alice Murray, Thomas Lawlor, Jared McDowell from Auckland (New Zealand government)

Fern

Unity Fern (Red & Blue) by Paul Jackways from Canterbury

Wave

Koru Fin by Daniel Crayford and Leon Cayford from Auckland

Another wave

Manawa by Otis Frizzell from Auckland

The plan for a new design was announced in September last year when Prime Minister John Key announced he wanted the country to have a flag that was unique to New Zealand and would be recognisable around the world.

The panel rejected some designs that attracted a lot of international attention and would have been far more entertaining:

Seventies sheep

I am delighted to present a flag that every New Zealander can agree to. It is recognizable globally and represents our green countryside, our clear blue skies, and the sheep doubles as a long white cloud. It also carries forward, tradition with the use of the star in place of the eye.

Two-legged sheep

This design represents all of NZ because we have lots of sheep and love hokey pokey ice cream. I even included the blue and red to keep all of you naysayers happy. Kiwi as bro.

Terminator kiwi

The laser beam projects a powerful image of New Zealand. I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed.

All Black

"Black like the night that descends over the nation. Black like the void which keeps us apart."

The Chinese flag

The People's Republic of New Zealand. "This is a flag for the current, and future of NZ economic standings and foreign relations. It is a thing of beauty."

Inception kiwi

Flag-bearing kiwi. "It represents kiwis, stars, and flags."

It has been suggested the reason for getting rid of the existing flag is also to throw off the legacy of British colonial rule and set them apart from their bigger neighbour Australia which has a similar design.

In an open letter announcing the long list, the panel said: “A great flag should be distinctive and so simple it can be drawn by a child from memory. A great flag is timeless and communicates swiftly and potently the essence of the country it represents.

“A flag should carry sufficient dignity to be appropriate for all situations in which New Zealanders might be represented. It should speak to all Kiwis. Our hope is that New Zealanders will see themselves reflected in these flags’ symbols, colour and stories.”

The panel said they hope to choose the final four “by mid-September”.