Submitted by LJ Holden on 19 May, 2013 - 17:04
Kiwi taxpayers are now coughing up $8m a year for the "Queen's representative" in New Zealand, proving the claim that the monarchy is cheaper once again to be simply untrue.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 15 May, 2013 - 19:39
The Hunter Council Chamber, Victoria University.
As many readers will know, I took part in the final of the Centre for Public Law and Law Foundation's constitutional debates at Victoria University of Wellington last week. The debate was broadcast on Radio NZ National on Sunday (audio here). I'm not going to claim victory (or loss) in the debate, that's up to the audience to decide. But I have had a lot of positive feedback on the debate, as well as praise for my main opponent, Michael Mabbett, in articulating the case against a New Zealand head of State.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 11 May, 2013 - 17:03
A recent skirmish between the Aussie Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition underlines what's wrong with the status quo of the Prime Minister "advising" the Sovereign who to appoint as the So
Submitted by Savage on 9 May, 2013 - 14:34
The New Zealand Herald is reporting that, due to her age, 87 year old Queen Elizabeth will never again visit New Zealand or Australia. Charles is now taking her place on all overseas trips as he prepares to become King.
Many within the Republican Movement would like Queen Elizabeth to visit New Zealand one last time.
Submitted by Savage on 5 May, 2013 - 10:26
The SST has published the vaguely comical and largely worthless results of the half-satirical online 'Constitutional Poll' it ran last week. Rather than participate in the constitutional debate by actually informing voters it chose to take the piss out of the whole thing with a poll about the constitution and other cultural identity issues (like the national anthem).
Submitted by Mike Wilkinson on 30 April, 2013 - 21:25
The developing situation with monarchies in Europe has of course caught my attention. That situation was recently summarised in the Herald by Catherine Field, Change looms for Europe's royalty.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 29 April, 2013 - 19:39
The Centre for Public Law is holding a debate next Monday at Victoria University of Wellington in the Hunter Council Chamber from 6:30pm. There's been a change to the billing - unfortunately Jim Bolger can't make it, so they've substituted the former Prime Minister for myself.
Submitted by Savage on 28 April, 2013 - 11:32
The Sunday Star Times has an article on the constitutional conversation. Unfortunately they're also doing a disservice to their readers by promoting a vaguely comedic poll about constitutional change.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 28 April, 2013 - 10:04
The Jamaica Observer reports on the opening of Jamaica's parliament at the start of this month.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 27 April, 2013 - 09:24
In The Ring - A Commonwealth Memoir
Don McKinnon's memoir of his time as Secretary-General, In The Ring, does not disappoint. As I wrote here a few weeks ago when the book was released, this book is probably the most important book on the modern Commonwealth ever. I'm even more convinced of that now. Despite what the reviews say, (Audrey Young's review in The New Zealand Herald being one of the worst examples) the book has very little to do with the British monarchy or McKinnon's relationship with the Queen.
In the Ring actually re-enforces the side Commonwealth we don't see - the side beyond the link to New Zealand's "heritage". The organisation does great work for democracy, human rights and development.
You could be forgiven for thinking that it's just another talkfest or international junket for foreign ministers. Looking at (almost) all of the reviews of the book in New Zealand's news media, it's almost as if the media think the Commonwealth is the monarchy. Despite what the book reviews said and the questions the television journalists asked, McKinnon only discusses the British monarchy briefly in the second chapter of the book. The fact so much focus is put on one chapter of a thirteen chapter bookshows that the public perception of the organisation, especially in the "old Dominions," is that the Commonwealth is part of the monarchy and the two are intimately tied together. McKinnon makes this observation in the book a number of times, especially when recalling a meeting with the Queen Mother (who said to him he had to look after the "family"). He describes this as a "19th century" view of the Commonwealth. Sadly no journalist I've seen reviewing the book mentions this. This is particularly strange given how explosive it is.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 25 April, 2013 - 20:21
Apologies for our recent issues with the website - we managed to get back online yesterday after an outage of three days. A faulty back-up during a regular upgrade was to blame. But we're back and everything's working again nicely.
Submitted by Savage on 19 April, 2013 - 09:06
New Zealand needs a head of state who embodies the principle of political
equality and while we don't often say it out loud equality is central to what
we do. The office of head of State is both a political and a cultural
position and as such it needs to embody the collective rights of all New
Zealanders. The head of State has to be able to represent all of us
regardless of what we believe.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 18 April, 2013 - 21:11
Sir Geoffrey Palmer QC* writes on the constitutional review in The Nelson Mail today, stating:
I am sure big change will happen, although I doubt it will happen immediately.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 17 April, 2013 - 21:27
Two weeks ago I put up a poll asking whether Government House should re-publish its education resources. I did so on the mistaken belief that the resources that had previously been online were lost forever, and I had planned to e-mail Government House about this fact.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 15 April, 2013 - 21:25
Back in March, we asked how much of the Cabinet Office's $7.3m "advice" budget was spent on advice for changing the British monarchy's succession rules? The response: The Cabinet Office has no idea.
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