SEPTEMBER 27, 2026 — A newly designed women’s suffrage flag was raised on the forecourt of New Zealand‘s Parliament in Wellington on September 17, reports SCOOP.
This marks the first time the symbol was flown at the site to commemorate the country’s historic franchise expansion.
According to a post by women’s rights advocate Katrina Biggs, the flag was designed by an entity identified as the Secret T Society. It features the white camellia, a botanical emblem historically associated with the movement, stemming from the flowers presented to supportive members of Parliament during the 1893 legislative debates.
Organizers scheduled the ceremony for the closest parliamentary sitting day to Suffrage Day on September 19, which marks the anniversary of the Electoral Act 1893 receiving royal assent from Governor Lord Glasgow. That landmark legislation made New Zealand the first self-governing nation to grant all adult women, including Māori women, the right to vote.
The flag-raising initiative was spearheaded by Biggs following a year-long negotiation with the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which granted approval in mid-August 2026. Biggs noted that the approval applies specifically to the 2026 event, leaving the status of future annual ceremonies subject to subsequent applications. Attendance at the ceremony included Minister for Women Nicola Grigg, co-leader of the Women’s Rights Party Jill Ovens, and members of the advocacy group Mana Wāhine Kōrero.
Speaking on the significance of the movement, Ovens emphasized the scale of the original campaign, stating, “It took seven years of campaigning, and close to 32,000 signatures – almost a quarter of the adult European female population at the time –before that bill was finally passed,” according to a press release by the Women’s Rights Party.
Biggs framed the broader legacy of the franchise as a universal milestone, noting that “that right benefitted all women, irrespective of status or political persuasion, and is a shared achievement for our country.”
Coinciding with the outdoor event, the nearby National Library of New Zealand hosted a specialized tour showcasing the original 1893 petition presented to the House of Representatives.
Image: Katrina Biggs
