Media Release – Friday 14 March 2008

Flag decision sent back for more consultation

A decision on whether Manukau City Council should officially fly the Tino Rangatiratanga flag has been delayed pending the development of a comprehensive report on a flag flying policy for the council.

The council’s Te Tiriti O Waitangi Committee last night considered whether to approve in principle the flying of the Tino Rangatira Flag for five days leading up to and including 6 February 2009 and annually thereafter.

However, committee chair Cr Alf Filipaina said that, after a very full discussion, members felt the decision could not be made without first investigating and approving a flag flying policy to cover all instances of when it might be appropriate for the council to fly any other flag alongside the New Zealand and the Manukau city flags. The committee resolved to request a report outlining issues and protocols for flying flags on Manukau City Council facilities be presented to its meeting on 12 June, 2008.

Cr Filipaina said the committee also acknowledged the special relationship that the council has with Tainui and Kingitanga and sought to investigate whether it would be appropriate to fly the Te Kahu flag for the day of Koroneihana in August 2008 and annually thereafter. It has asked officers to bring a report back on this issue to the committee by May, 2008.

“We have indicated to officers that we expect there to be comprehensive community consultation as part of developing these reports,” Cr Filipaina said.

ENDS

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