New Zealand has released a final selection of four flag designs to be voted on by the public in November.

A government-appointed panel selected the four designs (pictured above) from a longlist of 40 and unveiled them this morning.

All designs were selected from more than 10,000 submitted by the public.

The four shortlisted designs were:

• Silver Fern (Black and White) - by Alofi Kanter, from Auckland.

• Silver Fern (Red, White and Blue) - by Kyle Lockwood, from Wellington

• Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue) - by Kyle Lockwood, from Wellington

• Koru - by Andrew Fyfe, from Wellington

Melbourne-based architect Kyle Lockwood had two designs in the top four.

Kiwis will vote on their favourite of the four in a public referendum in November.

A second referendum will be held in early 2016 to vote between the selected flag and the existing flag.

Public opinion in New Zealand is mixed about the idea of changing the flag, with many critical of the process’s $26 million price tag.

The shortlist has also met mixed reactions online:

4 horrible flag designs and a whole load of really ugly money. I hate everything today except the new Lewis Rd flavours. — ChubbyBlondeSandwich (@MorganHopes) August 31, 2015

The most devastating "final four" for NZ since the 2007 Rugby World Cup (this joke should be relatable to the flag choosers). — Joseph Moore (@josephmoore1) August 31, 2015

Pretty sure I'm going to be compelled to spend the next few weeks telling people the No1 design is upside down #OCD#nzflag — Lorna Johnson (@lornaajohnson) August 31, 2015

WHY DID THEY CHOOSE THE BUDGET SPORTS APPAREL FERN FOR THE TOP 4? NZ I am very disappointed in you. #nzflag — fi panther (@FiPanther) August 31, 2015

Why won't someone think of the primary school children who will struggle to replicate those designs #nzflag — Hannah Sarney (@hannahsarney) August 31, 2015

Has this entire process just been one long elaborate practical joke? That's the only way to explain the #NZflag shortlist. Utterly awful — Neville (@1FightingIrish) August 31, 2015

It is such a good thing that the flag selection was an entirely apolitical process. pic.twitter.com/j6cG2KWVsJ — Felix Geiringer (@BarristerNZ) August 31, 2015

the only thing to look forward to is @iamjohnoliver's reaction #nzflag — tiny ruins (@tinyruins) August 31, 2015