The current New Zealand flag (left), Kyle Lockwood's blue and black flag (centre), which topped the first referendum, and Lockwood's second-placed red and blue flag (right).

With just a month until the second and final flag vote begins, a new poll shows the chances of Kiwis choosing Union Jack-free national colours are almost non-existent.

A Newshub/Reid Research poll of 500 people, taken over the summer break, found only 30 per cent of those questioned wanted to change to Kyle Lockwood's Silver Fern design. Another 9 per cent didn't know or care, while 61 per cent wanted to keep the existing flag.

As demoralising as that must be for Prime Minister John Key and other supporters of a new flag, at least the referendum outcome may not be as complete a drubbing as earlier surveys suggested.

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A Reid Research poll of 1000 people in September, taken after a shortlist of four alternative flags was chosen, found 69 per cent didn't want change. Another poll of 1000 people with the same question, taken in November after the Red Peak flag was added as a fifth option, showed 65 per cent opposed to change.

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If the pro-change group weren't feeling bad enough, actor and wine maker Sam Neill made his preference clear in a tweet on Monday. "I'm sticking with the old NZ flag. Not the beach towel. Dignity," he said.

For many of those polled, the decision seems to be politically motivated. Among Labour supporters, 73 per cent didn't want to change, with the Greens it was 60 per cent and among New Zealand First supporters it was 66 per cent.

Unfortunately for Key, even among his own party the noes have it, with 48 per cent against the change and 41 per cent in favour.

Sixty per cent of those polled didn't like Lockwood's design, with 16 per cent saying that while they wanted a change they would vote to keep the existing flag because they didn't like the alternative.

Lockwood's Silver Fern was chosen as the contender to challenge the existing flag in a first referendum last November and December. A second referendum starting on March 3 will decide whether it replaces the existing flag.