New Zealand's flag as it is today.

The first meeting in a $27.5 million project to chose a national flag has flopped.

It was reported that fewer than 10 people showed up to the first consultation meeting in Christchurch on Sunday.

The 12-strong Flag Consideration Panel outnumbered those in attendance.



READ MORE * Hundreds of designs for new flag submitted

1 of 21 Jeong Hyuk Fidan Could this be our new flag? Deranged Cat Raking its Garden, by Jeong Hyuk Fidan of Canterbury, is just one design submitted to the New Zealand Flag Consideration Project. 2 of 21 Matthew from Wellington Tukutuku Southern Cross. Stylised stars reference tukutuku patterns to represent the weaving together of New Zealand's many peoples, designer Matthew said. 3 of 21 Michael Sampson Combined Union Jack and Te Tino Rangatiratanga on Southern Cross, by Michael Sampson from Canterbury, is one of more than 3350 designs submitted to the flag debate. 4 of 21 Supplied Our current New Zealand flag: is it old and outdated, or should be we keep it? 5 of 21 Sam Hey Haki Pango by Sam Hey of Bay of Plenty (the current flag but on a black background to make us different from Australia). 6 of 21 Phillip Bannister New Horizon 3 by Phillip Bannister of Auckland 7 of 21 Kyle Lockwood Silver Fern Flag, by Kyle Lockwood of Wellington. 8 of 21 Otis Frizzell Manawa (the people's choice) by Otis Frizzell of Manawatu-Whanganui. 9 of 21 Dick Frizzell Fern flag by Dick Frizzell of Auckland. 10 of 21 Arvedui EÃ¤rnil Anárion by Arvedui Eärnil of Taranaki (a more elven take?) 11 of 21 Duncan Design Lone Kiwi by Duncan Design of Waikato 12 of 21 Cameron Sanders Stylised Silver Fern by Cameron Sanders of Auckland 13 of 21 Teng Onn Tan New Zealand 16 Regions Fern by Teng Onn Tan from Auckland 14 of 21 Bert Hopkins Kiwi Land by Bert Hopkins of Waikato 15 of 21 Kim Crosland Kiwiana, by Kim Crosland of Auckland: "Kiwis in the shape of the fern." 16 of 21 Alan Brown New Zealand Cross, by Alan Brown of Marlborough 17 of 21 Max Williams Moa flag by Max Williams from Wellington. "Simple yet elegant." 18 of 21 Peter G. Taylor Aotearoa First Sighting by Peter G. Taylor from Wellington 19 of 21 Minimalist Committee of New Zealand Stars and Fern by Minimalist Committee of New Zealand, from Auckland 20 of 21 James Ringwood Bicycle of NZ by James Ringwood of Auckland. 21 of 21 Alex Mayo Shaky Isles by Alex Mayo of "International"

The Government launched a project to look at the New Zealand flag through two referendums.

The first referendum decides what design to put up against the existing flag. The second is to see if the public wants to oust the flag with the selected design.

The estimated cost of public consultation is $6.7m, with $17.3m earmarked for the cost of two postal referendums.

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Labour MP Trevor Mallard, who sits on the Cross Party MP's Group, said the process had been "shambolic".

"Changing the flag is way down on people's priority lists," he said.

It was felt that changing the flag during the centenary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli was insensitive, Mallard said.

The panel overseeing the public engagement process is led by former University of Canterbury deputy vice-chancellor, emeritus professor John Burrows, who co-chaired the constitutional advisory panel.

About 1120 designs had been uploaded to the Government's website for the flag by Monday evening.