Half-masting the New Zealand Flag occasions | Ministry for Culture and Heritage

List of occasions when the New Zealand Flag has been directed to fly at half-mast since 2005.

The flying of the NZ Flag at half-mast is covered by section 10 of the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 and the New Zealand Flag Notice 1986. The directive to lower the flags at half-mast on Government buildings is generally issued on the direction of Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Year	Name and title of person	Date half-masted	Reason
2019		Friday 15 March	As a mark of mourning and respect for the victims of the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre terror attacks
2018	HE Mr Tran Dai Quang, President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam	Thursday 27 September	To mark the funeral
2017	HE Womtelo Reverend Baldwin Lonsdale, the Head of State of the Republic of Vanuatu	Wednesday 21 June	To mark the funeral
2016	His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Head of State of the Kingdom of Thailand	Friday 14 October	To mark the funeral
2015		Tuesday 17 November	As a mark of a respect following the terrorist attacks in Paris, France
2015	Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first Prime Minister	Sunday 29 March	To mark the death
2015	King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, King of Saudi Arabia	Monday 26 January	To mark the death
2014	President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata	Tuesday 11 November	To mark the funeral
2014		Monday 4 August	To mark the beginning of the centenary of the First World War for New Zealand
2013	President of Venezuela, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías	Saturday 9 March	To mark the funeral
2012	Corporal Jacinta Baker, Corporal Luke Tamatea & Private Richard Harris	Saturday 25 August	To mark the memorial service
2012		Monday 20 August (note: for the remainder of today)	To mark the death of three soldiers of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2012	Lance Corporal Pralii Durrer & Lance Corporal Rory Malone	Saturday 11 August	To mark the funerals
2012		Monday 6 August (Note: remainder of today)	To mark the death of two soldiers of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2012	Corporal Douglas Charles Hughes	Thursday 12 April	To mark the final day of the tangi for Corporal Douglas Charles Hughes of the New Zealand Army who died in Afghanistan
2012		Wednesday 4 April	To mark the death of the New Zealand soldier serving in Afghanistan
2012	His Late Majesty King George Tupou V of Tonga	Tuesday 27 March	To mark the funeral
2012		Wednesday 22 February	To mark the first anniversary of the Christchurch Earthquake
2011	Lance Corporal Leon Smith	Thursday 6 October	To mark the memorial service of Lance Corporal Leon Smith of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2011		Wednesday 28 September	To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2011	Corporal Doug Grant	Monday 29 August	To mark the full military funeral of Corporal Doug Grant of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2011		For the remainder of today, Saturday 20 August and again on Monday 22 August	To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2011	Sir Paul Reeves	15 August and again on the day of his funeral, Thursday 18 August	As a mark of respect for the former Governor-General
2011		Friday 18 March	To mark the memorial service for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake
2011		February 23 “until further notice”	As a mark of respect for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake
2011		Wednesday 16 February	To mark the death of a soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2010		Thursday 2 December	In recognition of the memorial service for the victims of the Pike River on mining tragedy on the day of the service
2010		Thursday 25 November	As a mark of respect for the victims of the Pike River mining tragedy
2010	Lieutenant Tim O’Donnell	Wednesday 11 August	To mark the funeral of Lieutenant Tim O'Donnell of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2010		4 August	To mark the death of the soldier of the New Zealand Defence Force, killed in Afghanistan
2009		Friday 9 October	As a mark of respect for the Samoan National Burial and Memorial Service, in remembrance of all who perished in last week’s tsunami
2008	Sir Edmund Hilary	21 January & 22 January	To mark the lying in state and funeral
2008	Sir Edmund Hillary	11 January 2008 and tomorrow, 12 January 2008 (until midnight), and the day of the funeral (to be confirmed)	To mark the death
2007	The Samoan Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili II	14^th May 2007 and Saturday 19^th May 2007 (the day of the funeral)	To mark the death
2006	Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Maori Queen	16 August	To mark the death
2006	Rod Donald, MP.	Thursday 10 November (the day of the funeral)	To mark the death
2006	His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou, King of Tonga	19 September	To mark the funeral
2006	His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou, King of Tonga	11,12,13 September	To mark the death until 10am on 13 September when his coffin leaves New Zealand
2005	Former Prime Minister Rt Hon David Russell Lange	Wednesday 17 August (the day of the funeral) and Saturday 20 August 2005 (the day of the memorial service)	To mark the death
2005	His Majesty King Fahd of Saudi Arabia	Tuesday 2^nd August	To mark the death and funeral
2005		Friday 8 July	As a mark of respect to and in remembrance of all who perished in yesterday’s terrorist bombings in London
2005	His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco	Friday, 15 April	To mark the funeral
2005	His Holiness Pope John Paul II	Sunday 3 April 2005, Monday 4 April and on the day of the funeral (still to be announced)	To mark the death and funeral
2005		Friday 14^th January 2005 to the end of the day on Sunday 16^th January 2005	To remember victims of the Boxing Day Tsunami in Southern and South-East Asia.

Updated on 19th March 2019