Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Not yet standing upright

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  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    As the current HoS, the Queen is not obliged to accept any GG as her representative, however. She does, but were she to choose not to there's nothing we could do about it except throw a hissy.

    The Constitution Act does not actually require the Queen to appoint a GG; it's implied, not explicit.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Attachment

    Su Yin Khoo asked: Which of these four flag designs do you feel best represent our refusal to help refugees?

    Lyndon Hood answered.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    She's obliged to act on the advice of her Ministers - meaning in the case of NZ, the NZ government.

    If a monarch were to start personally refusing to accept advice then that would create an interesting situation. If they did that in the UK, they'd almost certainly come under pressure to climb down, and if they didn't, the UK parliament would depose them (after the fashion of James II).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    She’s obliged to act on the advice of her Ministers – meaning in the case of NZ, the NZ government.

    If a monarch were to start personally refusing to accept advice then that would create an interesting situation. If they did that in the UK, they’d almost certainly come under pressure to climb down, and if they didn’t, the UK parliament would depose them

    Oh, it would certainly be very interesting, but there is no statute that mandates it. Only convention, as with most things constitutional in this country.
    My point was that because the Queen appoints the GG as their representative, despite the law not mandating such, Parliament's constitutional position vis the GG and on to the Monarch is intact. The flag has nowt to do with that.
    Probably my wording was not quite clear, "accept" instead of "appoint" when I meant accept the nominee rather than accept the office.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • daleaway, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I believe the ghost of what's left of the Government Printer (which subsequently became GP Print, part of Blue Star) was sold to Australians in 2012.

    From a press release at that time:
    "The New Zealand operations of trans-Tasman printing group Blue Star have been bought by Australian private equity group Mercury Capital and Blue Star shareholder and former manager Tom Sturgess. "

    Since Jul 2007 • 198 posts Report Reply

  • sandra,

    Um, anyone else think the author of the flag story in this morning's NZ Herald had been perusing this posting and subsequent comments? Even used the same supermarket shelf pic. Coincidence?

    tauranga • Since Dec 2011 • 72 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to sandra,

    I first saw that picture of plastic plates on Facebook yesterday morning, four hours before this post was published.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Vivid, in reply to sandra,

    "Um, anyone else think the author of the flag story in this morning's NZ Herald "

    I wish that someone at the Herald would look up the meaning of gerrymander before they use it again. 5 times in two days, all wrong.

    (it's getting like that time journalists were all about 'beltway' issues)

    Wairarapa • Since May 2015 • 43 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Telfar Barnard,

    I first saw it on Sideswipe yesterday morning, which went out at 5am, a good 5 and a half hours before this was posted. Kate Shuttleworth had tweeted it at 6.32pm the night before.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    I first saw that picture of plastic plates on Facebook yesterday morning, four hours before this post was published.

    Yes, it was all over Twitter too. I couldn't work out who took the original photo.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Yes, it was all over Twitter too. I couldn’t work out who took the original photo.

    More to the point – I’ll bet they are an imported product (packaged and manufactured overseas) – so one of our potential flags was either designed by a factory shop person in some far away place – or Kyle has a copyright claim to lodge somewhere :-).

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac,

    Heh, I'm glad I wasn't the only one to rant on FB about the constitutional implications of changing the flag (none). With extra bonus link to the Flags Act and observation that I doubted the Ministry of Culture would be put in charge of anything constitutionally significant. I actually got some "thank yous" from that.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody,

    How lovely - pupils at Ngaio School obviously got shown the video on flag design when the flag panelist visited their school. And the pupil's top selection from their project follows the template instruction better than any of the panel's official choices!!

    See it here;

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/wellington/71636970/ngaio-school-children-prefer-to-fly-their-own-flag

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Attachment

    Today's Tremain

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to ,

    Vote for Hypnoflag as a protest vote

    As Katherine pointed out earlier, the STV system effectively negates this option. Assuming fern-fans vote fronds 1,2, 3 then hypnoflag doesn't stand a chance. And your hynoflag vote would then be counted as just another kiwi engaging with Key's chosen process.

    Winnie's KOF suggestion seems like the best option so far.

    In the meantime, here's another petition supporting our current flag -- 42,500 signatures and counting.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    I disagree Steven. It would be saying "I vote for Key's 4th choice" which is hardly a protest, especially as the odds are pre-loaded against hypnoflag.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Attachment

    Toby Manhire swings in behind Red Peak in his Herald column today.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • mpledger,

    Ian Dalziel, in reply to steven crawford, A day ago
    Surely NZ deserves a flag that anyone could knit at home!

    ~~
    I suggested before the design process started that we should go for a Lenticular flag - one that changes as it flies (as you see it from a different angle).
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_printing

    You can do that with knitting e.g.
    http://delightedhands.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/moms-shadow.html

    And it has amazing possibilities when combined with the hypno flag
    http://giphy.com/gifs/animated-psychedelic-hypnotic-Z8fmnqFAHAdeo

    ~~~~
    Yea, the hypnoflag is basically screwed unless it gets over 50% of first preference votes.

    We should be able to put all our preference on one flag and it count the same as people who split their votes across the fern flags.

    Since Oct 2012 • 97 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to mpledger,

    We should be able to put all our preference on one flag and it count the same as people who split their votes across the fern flags.

    We can. You vote 1 on Hypnoflag and then nothing else. That way no other choices get your vote.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to daleaway,

    I believe the ghost of what's left of the Government Printer (which subsequently became GP Print, part of Blue Star) was sold to Australians in 2012.

    I couldn't find that yesterday but yes I remember now, cheers.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    while yes, no one else gets your vote, they would only get your vote once your choice had been eliminated as the lowest polling flag.

    These are single transferable votes, your vote only is contribiuted to one flag at a time, not fractions spread across multiple flags

    (STV, where you're electing multiple candidates, say 2 flags, does end up with fractional votes being spread around after one of the candidates you've chosen has been elected - but not in this case)

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to mpledger,

    Attachment

    one that changes as it flies

    that could fly…

    maybe not a knitted ‘Steriogram’ flag

    (I hadn’t realised this was a Michael Gondry video)


    but a visually knotted ‘stereogram’ flag could be the go (above ^ ) …
    if ya can’t make it ‘pop’ – ya can’t be a citizen!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Mike O'Connell, in reply to Russell Brown,

    What an 'annoying' article! Not an immediate personal choice but Toby's got a strong point (citing Rowan Simpson) with Red Peak:

    it looks like a flag, not a logo, and illustrates the point by placing it, and the officially shortlisted options, alongside some other great flags. It is simple enough to be drawn by a child - one of the criteria emphasised by the panel - yet there is genuine substance; the historic, cultural, mythological and even topographic references are there if you want them.

    I am reminded of the flag of Antigua and Barbuda
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Antigua_and_Barbuda#/media/File:Flag_of_Antigua_and_Barbuda.svg

    Adopted in 1967, it's full of symbolism (e.g. the Caribbean, African origins of people) which match the colouring - the sun, sea, and sand and the (triangle) V-shape for victory. it was the winning design of around 600 entries.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 385 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Brazil seems to do ok even though their flag breaks all the rules - tiny writing, etc.

    I don't really have a problem with any design of flag, it's the process and goal, which seems to be all around the idea that NZ needs better "corporate branding" so people will holiday here and buy our exports. I don't think people really care that much - otherwise Aussie companies would take the "proudly Australian made" logos off the product they ship to NZ

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • TracyMac,

    Red Peak was my fave out of the 40. Distinctive, strong, proper use of colour, and easy enough to draw! And as Toby says, it looks like a flag … rather than a logo. That said, it’d lend itself as a design element of things like sporting uniforms really well.

    Canberra, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 701 posts Report Reply

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