The Prime Minister has raised the possibility of holding a referendum to change the national flag during this year's general election.
John Key said on Wednesday while it is not the number one issue, he will consult his senior ministers to decide whether to push ahead with a vote.
Mr Key says voters would be able to choose between the current flag or another option picked by the Government. He says his personal preference would be a silver fern on a black background.
"In my view, the silver fern is something which is applied to our greatest sporting teams. There's so many other things that we do - it has international recognition and cache. Our flag sometimes gets confused with the Australian flag, and I think it's part of the modern new look of New Zealand."
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman personally supports holding a referendum, but says voters should have more say in the possible options.
Mr Key says he would give the public plenty of warning before any vote.
