Bill to raise status of Blue Ensign

Press, 25 August 1981, Page 10

Bill to raise status of Blue Ensign

PA Wellington A bill seeking to enshrine the Blue Ensign in law as New Zealand's national flag has been put before Parliament by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Highet). Until now, the Shipping and Seamen Act, 1952. had allowed the flag to be flown on shore, but transferring this provision to the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Bill would enhance the flag’s status, Mr Highet said. He said the bill would provide a statutory basis for the Minister of Internal Affairs to prescribe the days on which the flag would be flown on Government property. - ‘ : • It would also authorise the Minister to provide guidelines on the etiquette to be observed when flying the flag elsewhere. These guidelines would not have the force of law.

Other provisions of the bill aimed to protect the use of coats of arms and heraldic emblems granted by, or on behalf of, the Sovereign. It would continue to protect such name titles as Anzac and Returned Services’ Association, together with words with a commer-

cial connotation such as bank and stock exchange. Other words, at present

protected by the Police Offences Act.' were, however, omitted from, the bill- These included “ParUament”. arid .■•■ State.- ■■. The Minister would also be empowered to declare as protected a symbol of- a sports -event with particular significance,, such as - the 1974 Commonwealth Games symbol;- S- : '-• v ■ ■ .Mr . M. K. ■ Moore : (Lab,, Papanui) asked why the legislation was needed after such a long time. “I have not been convinced that our society is any the •worse for not having had this bill.” he said. * Mr F. D. O’Flynn (LabIsland Bay) said there was a “certain hilarious quality" about die defence of the bill. He asked why the opportunity had not been used to come up with a completely new flag, rather than the present “dull bit of rag," which was just a “colonial

reach-me-down." Mr Highet said the new bill would repeal the last existing sections of the Police Offences Act, the Commonwealth Games Symbol Protection Act. and the Chartered Associations (Protection of Names and Uniforms) Act, 1930.

The bill was referred to the Statutes Revision Select Committee.