Archive - Dec 2011

Yesterday marked five years since I was elected chair of the Republican Movement, so this yearly review has added significance to myself. It's incredible to think that five years have passed. I did expect  that this would be a long-haul, and there's still some way to go yet. A New Zealand republic is an ongoing, long-term project for which there are no short cuts. This of course is crazy as it's such a simple, straightforward change with demonstrable benefits. It's become clear to me over these last five years that the general public are largely apathetic to who their head of state is. This apathy has been generated by the monarchy's irrelevance. This is both a threat to the monarchy and a New Zealand republic. It means we still have our work cut out for us to convince the public.

Susan Devoy writes in The Bay of Plenty Times:

The British Monarchy are political celebrities and their  PR people are making sure everyone knows what they are doing for Christmas this year.  There is still a recession on so they have played up how homely and down to earth they all are. "It's been decided that the group will give each other low-key but fun gifts this year, in part due to the on-going global financial crisis."

^{Václav Havel, leader of the Velvet Revolution, 1936 - 2011}

The late former president of Czech Republic, Václav Havel, often described the Soviet system in Czechoslovakia as "Absurdistan" - a country where absurdity was the norm.

The Republican Movement's executive held its monthly teleconference tonight. Congratulations to Mike Wilkinson who was appointed as our Secretary and Reon Hogg who was appointed as our Membership officer. 

The Governor-General appointed a new government today. By doing so he used one of his "reserve powers" - the ability to appoint the Prime Minister and Cabinet (technically the Executive Council) without anyone "advising" him to do so. All on his own, he re-appointed Prime Minister John Key.