After more than a century and a half since New Zealand won independence from Britain, the country's Prime Minister offered its citizens a chance to jettison the most visible remaining symbol of their colonial past: A referendum on changing the national flag.
In a speech at Victoria University on Tuesday, John Key proposed, "we take one more step in the evolution of modern New Zealand by acknowledging our independence through a new flag."
The existing design, which features the union jack - Britain's national flag - in one corner and four stars representing the southern cross, "symbolizes a colonial and post-colonial era whose time has passed."
"The flag remains dominated by the Union Jack in a way that we ourselves are no longer dominated by the United Kingdom," says Key, who favors removing the union jack from the flag, and replacing it with silver-fern-on-black option, currently associated with national sports teams.
Key said he wants the referendum process completed during the next Parliamentary term, after the 2014 elections, which are scheduled for 20 September.
Key called New Zealanders' attention to the point that "it's time our flag reflected that we are a sovereign and successful nation that rightfully takes its place among developed economies in the 21st Century."
"When we engage internationally, we should be represented by a flag that is distinctly New Zealand's," adding that he believes "the current flag is not that flag."
He said, "Back in 1965, Canada changed its flag from one that, like ours, also had the Union Jack in the corner, and replaced it with the striking symbol of modern Canada," featuring a maple leaf symbol.
The majority of 53 Commonwealth countries, which were mostly territories of the former British Empire, do not sport the union jack on their flags.
Key said that although by law, the flag can be changed by a simple majority of Parliament, he prefers that a decision on "A flag that unites all New Zealanders should be selected by all New Zealanders."
A recent opinion poll in the island nation showed that 72 percent prefer the existing national flag.
Despite his call for a change in flag, Key made it clear that he is not against New Zealand's status as a constitutional monarchy, "which provides stability, continuity and keeps our head of State above party politics."
Although New Zealand became independent in 1853, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is still the head of state of the southwestern Pacific Ocean country, represented by the Governor-General, with limited powers.
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