Scott Alastair: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeScott Alastair: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 November 2015. Volume:710;Page:8325. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.ALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa) to the Deputy Prime Minister: What steps is the Government taking to allow New Zealanders to choose our future flag?Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Prime Minister): As of tomorrow the papers for the first of two postal referendums will begin to arrive in the mailboxes of New Zealanders who are enrolled to vote. Voting opens from tomorrow and closes on Friday 11 December. Earlier this year Parliament enacted a law that for the first time ever gives New Zealanders an opportunity to have a say in choosing the flag. This fulfils a promise we made in the election campaign last year. Very few Governments around the world have ever asked their citizens for their views on the design of their national flags and I would encourage everyone who is eligible to vote to have their say to choose our flag.Alastair Scott: After the first referendum what will be the next steps in the process to choose the future flag? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] No. Order! I want to hear the answer.Hon BILL ENGLISH: The purpose of the first referendum is to allow people to rank five alternative flag designs that have been chosen by the independent Flag Consideration Panel following public consultation. After the preferred alternative flag is selected a second referendum will be held to allow voters to choose between the preferred alternative and the current flag. That referendum will be held in March 2016. It makes sense that people should see the alternative flag at the time when they have the opportunity to choose between that and the current flag.Denis O’Rourke: What steps is the Government taking to ensure that New Zealanders participating in the first flag referendum can express their preference for none of the five options listed in favour of the current flag?Hon BILL ENGLISH: They will have the opportunity to not participate if they do not think they should—although New Zealand First used to trust the people with referendums on everything and now it does not—and they have the opportunity in the second referendum to vote for the flag of their preference if it is the current flag.Denis O’Rourke: If a voter does cast a vote in the first flag referendum and does not choose any of the five options listed but indicates in some way a preference for the current flag can the Minister assure such voters that their vote in that way will be counted as a vote against all of the options listed; if not why not?Hon BILL ENGLISH: No that would be an informal vote; and the reason for that is that in the second referendum they have the chance to vote for the current flag or to change it. It is pretty straightforward.Denis O’Rourke: If the total number of voters who cast votes in the first flag referendum but who do not indicate a preference plus the total number who spoil or otherwise cast informal votes together exceed the number of votes in which a preference is voted for will the Government then cancel the second flag referendum and introduce amending legislation to confirm keeping the current flag?Hon BILL ENGLISH: No because unlike New Zealand First we think New Zealanders are quite capable of following the logic of the referenda and quite capable of clearly expressing their preference through the ballot paper as they do through general elections and local body elections and so on. I do not know why the member seems so concerned to prevent them from having a clear choice of the current flag or the new flag.