No major recent developments have emerged on changes to the flags of New Zealand or Australia. The most notable related story remains the 2018 comments by New Zealand's acting Prime Minister Winston Peters, who jokingly accused Australia of copying New Zealand's flag design and urged them to create their own. Both flags share a blue field, Union Jack, and Southern Cross stars (four red for NZ, six white for Australia plus a Commonwealth Star), stemming from their shared British colonial history.[1][2][4]
New Zealand held a failed 2016 referendum on replacing its 1902 flag, partly to differentiate from Australia's similar design, but voters kept the original by 57%. Australia has debated its flag too, often tied to republicanism, but no changes have occurred despite occasional pushes.[6][1]
| Feature | New Zealand Flag | Australian Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Stars | 4 red Southern Cross stars | 5 white Southern Cross + 1 large white Commonwealth Star [4] |
| Background | Blue with Union Jack | Blue with Union Jack |
| Adoption Year | 1902 | 1901 |
These similarities continue to spark lighthearted rivalry but no active "latest news" as of April 2026.[9]
'We had a flag that we've had for a long time, copied by Australia,' New Zealand's acting prime minister said. 'And they should actually change their flag and honor the fact that we got there first.'
www.nytimes.comAustralian MP saying it is 'disrespectful' to discuss a change in the lead-up to the centenary of the Gallipoli landing
www.telegraph.co.ukWELLINGTON (AFP) - New Zealand's Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters called on neighbouring Australia to change its flag Thursday (July 26), saying it had pinched the Kiwi banner's design and was causing confusion. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
www.straitstimes.comNew Zealand's acting Prime Minister Winston Peters has accused Australia of copying his country's flag, telling its neighbor to get its own design.
www.10news.comThat was an awkward discovery for then-Prime Minister John Key, who had pumped the time and money into a design competition for a new flag and a referendum on choosing one. But in 2016, after a finalist for a new flag had been selected, almost 57 percent of Kiwis opted to keep their old flag.
www.ndtv.comStill getting the Australian and New Zealand flags confused? We'll show you how to tell them apart in this article!
pvtistes.netWinston Peters says Australia 'copied' New Zealand's national flag and should get a new one.
www.sbs.com.au