Three lumpy ferns, a token koru and a Red Peak

Was this a win for democracy or did a quarter swastika just sneak into the flag referendum? Here’s some reaction to John Key’s u-turn on Red Peak. 

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An astonishing U-turn from Prime Minister John Key means the Red Peak design will to be added as an option in November’s flag referendum.

Red Peak has steadily gained popularity, particularly on social media, and a petition with about 50,000 signatures calling for it to be added was delivered to Parliament last week.

John Key had earlier said it was too late to include Red Peak but, yesterday on his way to Parliament, he changed his mind saying it was likely the Government would pick up the bill to add it to the existing four designs.

New Zealanders will now be able to vote for five new designs or to keep the existing flag.

The campaign to have the Red Peak design added to the list picked up momentum after the official flag panel’s selection of four was met with discontent. Illustrator Toby Morris described them as “three lumpy ferns and a token koru”.

The bill to add Aaron Dustin's design, originally presented by the Greens, was introduced under urgency yesterday. The inclusion was backed by all parties except for New Zealand First, which is strongly opposed to any flag change.

Reaction to the decision has been mixed, with some saying the government has caved to the "whinging of social media" while others called it a victory for democracy. 

If Parliament costs $520 a minute to run, rough estimate Red Peak inclusion just cost taxpayers $200,000.

— Brook Sabin (@BrookSabin) September 24, 2015

'Red Peak' should be re-christened 'Peak Cray'. Nothing to do with the flag itself, but the bizarre politics surrounding it.

— Winston Smith (@5WinstonSmith5) September 23, 2015

Once Red Peak is in then we go after the Lazar Kiwi, k?

— Robertolero (@robtreacher) September 14, 2015

In a post on Whale Oil, blogger Cameron Slater slammed the Government's decision, calling it an "abrogation of democracy."  

“What happened was a bunch of rowdies and the media lobbied and caused pressure and the government then changed, in a single sitting, under urgency, the flag legislation. That isn’t democracy, it is abrogation of democracy. It is an abuse of process. Other parliamentary business had to be suspended so urgency could be enacted to pass a law over a stupid flag all because 50,000 signed an online petition and 15 people on Twitter got mad.”  

Others have criticised the design with RadioLive host Sean Plunket posting a tweet yesterday with the Red peak arranged into a swastika. NZ First deputy leader Ron Mark also compared it to Nazi symbolism.

However, the inclusion of Red Peak may have been a futile move with a 3News poll this week showing that 70 per cent of people did not want change at all. 

The first referendum, to decide which of the five designs is the preferred alternative flag, will be held between November and  December. The winner will then run against the present flag in a second referendum in March 2016.

UPDATE: Just in case you thought the flag debate couldn't get any better, John Key tweeted today that he was having a hard time choosing between a sausage roll and pie at the local bakery, resulting in call for a "third snack" option be added to his list. 

we demand he add a third option: a samosa. #thirdsnack https://t.co/O8nictg6Ch

— Toby Manhire (@toby_etc) September 24, 2015

As #thirdsnack gains traction online, outspoken citizens are appealing for the samosa to be addressed under urgency in parliament.

A petition is likely to be set up soon but, for now, New Zealanders are left feeling dissatisfied with just two average snack options.