新西蘭公投:將沿用米字國旗

New Zealanders have voted to keep the same flag they've had for the past 114 years, rejecting the chance for a new design.

投票顯示，新西蘭人民拒絕更換國旗，決定繼續沿用飄揚了114年的米字旗。

Preliminary results from voting in a referendum to decide if the flag would be changed were in favour of keeping the old design, which is similar to the Australian flag and incorporates the Union Jack.

此前，新西蘭進行了是否更換國旗的公投，而初步結果顯示人們更傾向於繼續沿用現有國旗。新西蘭現有國旗和澳大利亞國旗相似，融合了米字旗元素。

The New Zealand Herald reported 2.1 million people voting with the result as 56.6 percent in favour of the same flag and 43.2 percent in favour of a new flag.

據《新西蘭先驅報》報道，共計210萬人參與投票，56.6%的民衆選擇現有國旗，43.2%的民衆選擇新國旗。

The 18-month process, driven by Prime Minister John Key, cost $NZ26 million (11.9 million pounds).

這項公投由新西蘭總理約翰·基發起，歷時一年半，花費2600萬新西蘭元（1190萬英鎊）。

Mr Key said he was disappointed with the outcome, but called for the country to 'rally behind the flag that's been chosen, to go out and use, to wave it and to be proud of it and to celebrate the fact that we've got an amazing country'.

總理表示，他對於公投結果感到失望，但他同時呼籲全國“團結一致支持現有國旗，走出國門使用它、揮舞它，向全世界展示我們以新西蘭爲傲”。

His government would not return to the issue, the New Zealand Herald reported.

《新西蘭先驅報》報道，在約翰·基總理的任期內不會再開展有關更換國旗的行動。

He also defended the expensive cost of the referendum, saying it had caused healthy debate about nationhood.

關於公投高額花費引發的爭議，總理表示公投的意義在於掀起了一次關於國家地位的健康的全民討論。

The voter turnout was about 67 percent, with just over 1.2 million voting for the existing flag and more than 915,000 voting for change, reported.

據新聞網站報道，目前選民投票率約爲67%，其中支持現有國旗的人數稍多於120萬，選擇更換國旗的人數則超過91.5萬。

A final result will be announced in about a week's time.

投票的最終結果將於一週後公佈。

Last year, a competition was held to design options for a new flag for the country, which New Zealanders voted for.

去年，新西蘭發起了一項設計新國旗的海選，最終選拔出來的設計就是參與此次公投的備選新國旗。

A selection committee chose four flags from a vast number of entries, and voting in an earlier referendum selected a black, white, blue and red fern and stars design by Kyle Lockwood.

篩選委員會從衆多參賽作品中選出了四份作品，在早期的公投結果中，由凱爾?洛克伍德設計的黑白藍紅四色的銀蕨星旗勝出，並與現有國旗進行對決。

It was that flag that was outvoted in the latest referendum.

在開篇所述的公投中，就是這面銀蕨星旗輸給了現有米字旗。

The result has brought the end to the first-ever public vote by a country on its national flag.

這是全世界首次針對更換國旗舉行的公投。本次投票結果爲這場公投畫上了句點。