P.M. against Games logo plan

Press, 20 April 1982, Page 1

P.M. against Games logo plan

Parliamentary reporter

New Zealand's Commonwealth Games team will get no medals from the Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, if it marches behind a special Games symbol instead of the New Zealand flag at Brisbane. He said yesterday, “As far as I am concerned, it would be an abomination.”

The proposal to dispense with the New Zealand flag and instead use the symbol, which has been designed for fund-raising, will be voted on at a meeting in Wellington this evening of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association’s executive.

The association is already under fire for its recent decision to replace the traditional black blazer and silver fern as part of the team’s

uniform for the Games, with a coloured jacket and the new symbol, a move that, the athletics' representative on the association’s executive, Mr lan Boyd, will attempt to have reversed at this evening's meeting. Asked about his view's on the proposal yesterday., Mr Muldoon said, “Let me make it perfectly clear, that, as far as I am concerned, it would be an abomination for a New Zealand team to march at Brisbane without the New Zealand flag. I really cannot understand these people. “Mind you, I am old and traditional and I like to see the New Zealand flag, the black singlet, and the silver fern. It may be that time has passed me by, but I do not think so.” The silver fern has been New Zealand’s symbol at

international games since New Zealand first competed as a separate nation at the Olympic. Games in Antwerp in 1920, reports the Press Association. A Games team last used the national flag at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

In 1980, at the Moscow Olympics the New Zealanders marched behind the new New Zealand Olympic flag, which has the five Olympic rings surmounted by a silver fern on a black background. Parliament only last year formally and. belatedly adopted the national flag as New Zealand's official ensign. Previously, under the old act. it had been a Merchant Navy ensign just adopted by New Zealand. The manager of the New

Zealand Games team lor Brisbane, Mr Bruce Ullrich, of Christchurch, said yesterday that he was unaware of any decision or discussion on .changing the flag. He was not happy with the decision to scrap the silver fern and he would not support any move to change the flag.

Boxing's representative on the association’s executive, Mr Bill Scott, also said he was not aware of any decision or discussion on the flag.

Cycling's representative. Mrs Barbara Levido, said she knew nothing about the proposal but said that now the association had adopted the Games emblem as its sympol. it should be supported.'

"1 cannot see any disadvantage in the change,” shesaid.