In politics, a red flag is a symbol of socialism, communism, and left-wing politics; it has been associated with left-wing politics since the French Revolution (1789–99). (source: Wikipedia)
A red flag is also a warning symbol.
Which brings me to our national flag. This year, we the people of NZ were subjected to a fruitless, polarising debate about changing our flag – and no-one knows why. There had been no mandate from 
us to do so. It was called Prime minister John Key’s ‘vanity project’ and cost NZ $26 million dollars.
A two-stage binding referendum on the flag change was held in 2015 and 2016. In 2015 we were asked to pick the design of the new flag. Shouldn’t the first question have been whether we even wanted it changed? NZ chose to retain the current flag in the second 2016 referendum. So the issue is done and dusted.
BUT here’s the red flag … it turns out the communist government of China was behind the flag change.
On February 18 2016 Prime Minister John Key had a secret lunch with a select, small group of communist Chinese leaders who wanted the Union Jack on our flag gone – because of the Boxer rebellion – a war they had with Britain which happened between 1899-1901! China needed to be told it happened over a century ago, didn’t involve NZ, and to get over themselves. Any New Zealander not of Chinese extraction will say “we don’t care.”
What I do care about is why communist China was allowed to interfere with New Zealand’s domestic affairs – and why this meeting was not picked up by the media. Not many New Zealander’s know about this.
Here are the few news articles I could manage to find about the meeting kept secret from the public.
Key criticised over secret flag-funding lunchKey criticised over secret flag-funding lunch
PM accused of lack of transparency over secret lunch with wealthy Chinese
John Key’s secret flag donor luncheonJohn Key’s secret flag donor luncheon
Do you see this involvement by the totalitarian dictatorship of China in our domestic affairs as a red flag? I do.
China lost no time getting rid of the old Hong Kong flag in the 1990’s. Did they try the same thing in NZ?
Hong Kong protest – is it time for NZ to do the same?
Extra links:
Key and the Chinese Connection
Flag it: What else would $26m buy us?Flag it: What else would $26m buy us?
Red Sky in the morning 