We hope to see the New Zealand flag flying high throughout the Paris Olympics. We hope to see it several times fluttering in gold medal position as God Defend New Zealand rings out.
What a shame, though, this emblem was not changed when we had the chance nearly 10 years ago.
Sure, the king of Britain is also the king of this country, and some justification exists for the Union Jack. There is a case for continuity and tradition.
Our constitutional monarchy works, and switching to a republic would bring all sorts of difficulties and disagreements.
But New Zealand is to all intents and purposes fully independent. You wouldn’t think so by looking at the flag.
New Zealand was well and truly abandoned by the United Kingdom when it joined the European Union in 1973. How ironic Britain has, foolishly, left Europe.
New Zealanders have no special rights in the United Kingdom, and ever-growing numbers of citizens have no ancestral links with what was once commonly called "home".
While Civis believes the present trend to blame "colonialism" for ills and injustices is overdone, our derivative of the British Blue Ensign can be seen as a present-day reminder of changes wrought by British expansion and colonisation.
New Zealand had its chance to change the flag and blew it. An unholy alliance between conservatives and anti-Prime Minister John Key factions from Labour and the Left killed the proposal.
Mr Key had to be denied the kudos of success with his so-called "vanity project". If Mr Key was for it, his opponents had to be against.
It was argued the change was disrespectful to the soldiers who died fighting under its auspices. The Silver Fern, however, has been part of various military insignia back to the Boer War. It is on the graves of the fallen and featured in the final alternative design.
If you remember, the public put forward 10,292 designs in 2015, reduced to a long list of 40 and then four finalists. The black, white and blue silver fern flag by Kyle Lockwood made it to the runoff against no-change.
That won the March 2016 vote by 56.6% to 43.1%, a convincing margin.
Various other flag proposals have emerged over the years. Polls consistently favour no change, evidence of how wedded we can be to the status quo.
When the New Zealand flag accompanies athletes down the Seine in the opening ceremony this morning many observers from around the world won’t see something distinctive like Canadian maple leaf. They will observe a flag like that of Australia, that references the United Kingdom instead of an independent South Pacific nation.
* * * * *
Here’s one more rugby language abomination. Let’s rule offside "coming off the pine", as where the reserves — these days the substitutes — emerge from. Civis wonders if the seats were ever made of pine. There’s also the ugly expression "riding the pine".
Mind you, coming off the plastic has a worse ring, not that it would be used. The "bench" is more straightforward and unpretentious. The bench has a proud history across several sports.
Reserve "pine" for the mighty All Black lock Colin Meads, aka Pinetree Meads.
