Flying the flag of unity – but which flag to fly?

BY RICHARD LONG

OPINION: With just a month to go to Waitangi Day and the first outing of the tino rangatiratanga banner alongside the New Zealand flag, we should get a few things straight.

For a start, this dual display should not be officially extended to other days, as the Maori Party would like.

And the display should not automatically confer the right of succession to the TR flag if and when New  Zealand becomes a republic and looks for a more suitable ensign to differentiate us from the Australian doppelganger.

Having given way on Waitangi Day, Prime Minister John Key is bound to face further demands on extended use. This would suit the Maori Party as the TR flag, born in the protest movement and the land marches, is widely regarded as their party flag. ''It's Hone's flag,'' says Labour's Far North MP Shane Jones.

NZ First leader Winston Peters says much the same, and questions just how representative were the consultations that took place under Maori Party MP Hone Harawira's supervision to decide which Maori flag should be flown at Waitangi.

Mr Peters has a point. Documents released under the Official Information Act reveal that only 891 people attended the 21 consultation hui. About 1200 submissions were received, of which 80 per cent favoured the TR flag.

That's hardly an overwhelming national endorsement. If the same process were adopted throughout Northland, home of the United Tribes flag, it would probably be possible to drum up the same amount of  support.

Mr Harawira also attempted to coerce officials with his preference for the TR flag, in what was supposed to  have been an impartial selection process. He sent an abusive email to Maori Development Ministry officials  blasting them for calling the banner the TR flag rather than the Maori flag.

That was Mr Harawira's preference and he saw no reason why officials should not reflect his view, even if it  implied approval for this ensign over others and preempted the consultation process.

After his abusive reaction to revelations about his botched European junket, this incident, which has  embarrassed the Maori Party leadership yet again, means that Mr Harawira has limited uses.

He cannot be trusted to go on parliamentary trips and is unlikely to be allowed to act for ministers again. It is little wonder that co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia wanted him out of the caucus. In spite of all this, it is clear that the TR flag, with its swirls of red, white and black, is a banner that many Europeans are happy to see adopted in a dual Waitangi Day arrangement if it signifies unity between Maori and Pakeha.

The trouble with the TR flag is that it has no history beyond the protest movement. That is not good symbolism for a national banner. The pedigree and history prize goes to the United Tribes flag, with the red cross of St George on a white background, with the four stars of the Southern Cross in the top left quadrant.

This flag was chosen by 25 chiefs of the northern tribes in 1834 from three options suggested by the governor of New South Wales. It received the approval of William IV, was recognised by the Royal Navy and became the first national flag of New Zealand. It flew on our ships. It even went with some New Zealand contingents to the Boer War.

When and if New Zealand becomes a republic and we look for a different banner, the historic United Tribes flag should be in the runoff.

- © Fairfax NZ News