Geoff Parker: Three Flags, One Country

How missionary ensigns and modern protest symbols came to fly over a single civic state

Before European contact, Māori had no flags or symbols representing a single nation or tribe. Identity and authority were expressed through iwi, hapū, and hapū-based networks, not emblems. Yet today New Zealand naively — and without public mandate — flies flags from public buildings that are not the flag of New Zealand. We are told this reflects history, respect, and recognition. In reality, it reflects the modern imposition of symbols to advance political claims they were never designed to carry.

Peter Dunne: War on woke

Symbolism over substance is a well-established political art. Sometimes symbolism is a substitute for decisive action, sometimes it is a way of signalling a future policy intent that for various reasons cannot yet be achieved. On other occasions, it is a simple diversionary tactic, designed to distract attention from policy failure elsewhere.

A recent good example of symbolism over substance is New Zealand First’s proposed Bill to ban the display of any flag or emblem other than the New Zealand flag on government buildings.

Chris Lynch: NZ First introduces Bill to ban ‘woke flags’ from government buildings

New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that would ban the display of all flags except the official New Zealand flag on government buildings, a move party leader Winston Peters says is aimed at protecting national identity and preventing the politicisation of public spaces.