Ōtorohanga District Council discusses its logo.
Project Kiwiana founding member Murray Loewenthal says the fact a proposed new council logo features a kiwi is “the important thing”.
The public will have their say on the logo – this is the latest option.
The logo has been offered as one of three options for residents to review.
Murray Loewenthal
At Tuesday’s council meeting Loewenthal was asked to share his views on the proposed new logo that put a kiwi in the middle of the nest.
Loewenthal had earlier told The News the dumping the old kiwi logo in favour of a nest without consultation felt like a kick in the guts.
The council subsequently received a 380-signature petition asking for a rethink.
The current nest logo was created for the 2024-34 Long Term Plan. An accompanying brand story cost ratepayers $4830 and was rolled out around the same time as a $100,000 rebuild of the council’s website aligned to the new logo’s colours.
But the absence of a kiwi incensed many residents who saw it as ignoring Ōtorohanga’s kiwiana association.
On Tuesday the council decided to consult on three options.
Kit Jeffries
The options are retaining the nest, reverting to the old kiwi logo, or adopting a new logo showing the profile of a kiwi in the nest.
Kāwhia councillor Kit Jeffries asked whether consultation was necessary when changing the council logo back to the old logo would satisfy the petitioners.
“I have been told there are others in support of the new [nest] logo. I would be surprised if it would be 380.”
Mayor Rodney Dow said the mistake the council made last December was not consulting.
The old new logo
Ōtorohanga District Council discusses its logo. Photo: Chris Gardner
