After this was presented to Parliament , Queen Elizabeth II gave permission for it to become New Zealand 's second national anthem , equal to `` God Save the Queen '' . In 1976 a petition was presented to parliament asking for it to be made the national anthem , and , with the permission of Queen Elizabeth II , it became the country 's second national anthem on November 21 , 1977 , on equal standing with God Save The Queen . Up until then `` God Save The Queen '' was New Zealand 's national anthem .