Well, that was the first round of the Flag Referendum and there has been lots of comment, off to the sides, about why we should or shouldn't change our flag. It's an important debate.

Some people's reasons for wanting a change of flag are we are often confused as being part of Australia and, God forbid, some people think we speak the same. There are easy solutions to this without resorting to a change of flag.

1. Use the navy to tow New Zealand further away from Australia and more towards the Pacific Islands.

2. Australians travelling to New Zealand should have to sit a Newzild Test on the plane and those who don't pass should be held in detention centres in New Zealand.

3. Elocution lessons for Australians on arrival at New Zealand airports.
Another reason offered for changing the flag is that the Union Jack on our flag reminds some people of our colonial days and, bearing the yoke of accountability to the mother country instead of being an independent republic, somehow seems outdated. And we have grown up, haven't we?

I support this move to head towards independence for New Zealand and to remove all vestiges of those things that remind us of our history and our dependence on England.

D Naughton, Tauranga City.