Red Peak to fly in first ballot

UPDATE THURS 1PM: It’s official – Red Peak will now be included in the first flag referendum as a result of the relevant legislation being changed under urgency today.

And the prime minister has revealed he’s so keen on his pet legacy project bearing fruit that if the late-breaking fifth alternative were to win the first referendum, he’d probably vote for it over keeping the current flag.

"If it got to that point I think I might vote for Red Peak,” John Key told a media stand up this morning, “but I'm keen on changing the flag because I think there is a really strong argument about the future.”

He made it clear, however, that his preference “still very much remains one of the Kyle Lockwood silver fern ones,” designs that he first began publicly touting as an alternative flag last year.

Given the preferential voting system being used, however, it seems likely Mr Key won’t have to hold his nose when casting his ballot.

UPDATE THURS 6AM: The Red Peak bill passed its first and second readings under urgency last night, then went into a truncated committee stage. It is expected to pass its third and final reading soon after Parliament resumes at 9am.

The government picked up Green MP Gareth Hughes' bill after it was blocked by NZ First.

All parties bar NZ First supported the bill, but there was still plenty of bad blood to go around.

Labour's Trevor Mallard attacked the Greens for – as he saw it – cutting a deal with the government to block Labour amendments that would have seen the whole flag referendum process overhauled.

"They are the party who pretend to be transparent, who pretend to be straightforward, but they could not stand up in the House and say we've made an agreement with the National Party not to support the Labour Party amendments. We would have disagreed with them but it would have been honest and straightforward," Mr Mallard said.

Labour voted for the bill despite its amendments being stymied, but still drew jibes from Bill English.

"Given their vindictive, politicised, manipulative DNA, it's quite possible they'll try and overturn the result, whereas I know the Greens wouldn't," Mr English said.

"A nasty, patronising, graceless speech,” Labour's Grant Robertson shot back. “And the Green Party might choose to reflect on the tone of the speech that Mr English just gave this house and just what it is that they've created."

UPDATE WED 5PM: The government has indeed officially adopted the bill of Green Party MP Gareth Hughes that enables the alternative Red Peak flag design to be included in the November referendum.

It will be voted on under urgency in the House tonight.

UPDATE WED  2.30PM: As expected, NZ First has blocked Green MP Gareth Hughes’ initial attempt to have Red Peak included on the ballot of the first leg of the flag referendum – in part because the party claims it resembles the design on a WWII German sentry box, but mainly because, according to MP Ron Marks, “This referendum is already a farce and the only amendment should be a Bill to repeal this sorry mess. That will get our vote.”

However, it appears voters will have the chance to support or reject the late-breaking alternative design anyway.

Prior to the resumption of parliament this afternoon, Prime Minister John Key told journalists he hoped Red Peak wouldn’t be blocked this afternoon from being included on the ballot.

He noted his disappointment about what he described as Labour’s earlier politicking on the issue in trying to get the referendum process changed in exchange for supporting Red Peak’s inclusion and that he’d "hoped Labour would show leadership on this... but the Greens have."

As such, Mr Key said the government will “probably” adopt Mr Hughes’ amendment.

EARLIER: The Green Party has confirmed that this afternoon MP Gareth Hughes will seek the leave of Parliament to introduce an amendment to the NZ Flag Referendum Amendment Bill that allows the Red Peak flag to be included as a fifth option on the ballot paper.

According to a party spokeswoman, the Greens’ decision to take the step is in no way an expression of a preference for the flag. Rather, she says, “This is us being pragmatic and constructive. The idea is to give people choice because there has been a groundswell of public support for the inclusion of Red Peak.

“People have been playing politics for ages now and this provides a way through a political deadlock.

“We think it’s time to put politics aside and do what people want, which is give them more choice.”

Mr Hughes’ amendment requires the full support of Parliament; if anyone blocks it, it won’t be allowed.

In that event, the Green Party will be calling on the government to adopt it as its own, the spokeswoman said.

She declines to be drawn on what she thought the chances were of the amendment being unanimously accepted, or the government adopting it if it isn’t.

“We have been asking others to support the amendment but, like everyone else, we will find out just before Question Time today whether it will be blocked or adopted.”

It seems, however, we won’t need to wait that long – NZ First’s Ron Mark has confirmed his party will block Mr Hughes’ amendment.

That will leave the ball in the government’s – and more particularly, Prime Minister John Key’s – court. His calculation will presumably hinge on whether he can continue to block Red Peak’s inclusion in the ballot and still blame Labour leader Andrew Little for its exclusion.

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