New Zealanders offer bizarre submissions for new national flag

New Zealand's government has called on members of the public to submit designs for a new national flag.

A process is currently in place to consider whether the current design should change.

Current entries have been uploaded to the New Zealand government website - and here are a selection of some of the more colourful so far.

Clean Green Kiwiana by Toko Ma, Taranaki

Gains by Logan Wu, Wellington

The icons in the flag are representative of New Zealand's multiculturalism, the artist says.

Te Pepe by David Astil, Wakato

This artist cited 'that feel when our eyes gaze upon the flightless and majestic rare-Kiwi bird'.

Restart by J.Yoshimura, West Coast

'Restart' - which appears to feature a stingray - is said to represent 'restarting the traditional'.

Happy Kwi by Davy Lee from Auckland

'Because it portrays that we are a nation of happy, harmless kwis.'

New Zealand Best Zealand by Logan Wu, Wellington

Another Wu entry reads: 'We must strengthen ties with our Eastern neighbours'

Psychotic Swirls by Cameron Holland, Bay of Plenty

With this entry, Holland simply wrote: 'It looks good'.

Sheep and Hokey Pokey by Jesse Gibbs, Canterbury

Simply because 'we have lots of sheep and love hokey pokey ice cream'.

www.NewZealand.com v1.1 by Simon Aiken, International

This entry features the Southern Cross as a QR code, representing tradition in a digital age.

Fire the Lazar! by James Gray, Auckland

'I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed,' says Gray.

Two referendums are due to be held in 2015 and 2016 - first to decide on a preferred alternative from a shortlist of four, and second to choose between that alternative and the current flag.

New Zealanders have until 16 July to submit their new suggestions before Referendum One in November and December.