More than 50 percent of Maori would like their own flag, a new survey has found as the country prepares for Waitangi Day this Saturday.The Government decided last year to allow the Tino Rangatiratanga flag to fly alongside the New Zealand flag on the Auck
More than 50 percent of Maori would like their own flag, a new survey has found as the country prepares for Waitangi Day this Saturday.
The Government decided last year to allow the Tino Rangatiratanga flag to fly alongside the New Zealand flag on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Premier House and other sites controlled by the Government after 80 percent of the 1200 submissions supported it rather than other flags. The flag has associations with protest movements and some did not think it was the right choice.
The Te Karere Digipoll asked 1002 Maori from the Maori and General electoral rolls if they thought Maori should have a separate flag. The majority 53 percent said yes while 41 percent disagreed, 7 percent did not know.
Asked if they saw the Tino Rangatiratanga flag as the Maori flag 58 percent said yes and 38 percent said no while 4 percent did not know.
Most respondents -- 45 percent -- thought the Treaty of Waitangi had a lot of relevance to their day to day life while 16 percent said some, and 21 percent said a little. Only 15 percent thought it did not have relevance and 2 percent did not know.
Of respondents 35 percent saw the Treaty as divisive but most, 52 percent, said it was inclusive, 13 percent did not know.
The poll was taken between January 6 and 27 and had an error of margin of 3.1 percent.
