Australia's Parliament House has incorrectly flown two New Zealand flags during a celebration of the Australian flag in an awkward mix up on Thursday.
To commemorate the day the Australian flag was first flown, they had 44 flags on display at Capital Hill in Canberra.
Two New Zealand flags were accidentally included as part of the display, possibly due to the similarity in design.
The New Zealand flag has four five-point red stars (with white borders) representing the Southern Cross constellation. The Australian flag dons six white stars which represent the Southern Cross and the Commonwealth Star.
In 1900 the Australian government held a competition to receive flag design entries.
More than 30,000 entries were submitted with majority containing the Union Jack and Southern Cross.
The chosen flag was first flown on September 3, 1901, and was formally adopted by the Flags Act in 1954.
New Zealand's flag was officially chosen in 1902 when it was recognised by the New Zealand Ensign Act.
In 2018, then Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters accused Australia of copying New Zealand's flag.
“We had a flag that we’ve had for a long time, copied by Australia, and they should actually change their flag and honour the fact that we got there first with this design,” Peters said.
To commemorate 125 years of the Australian national flag, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said, “Today the flag flies above Parliament House, and alongside the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag, in both chambers of Parliament.”
The New Zealand flag was not mentioned.
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