Constitutional review this week?

Radio New Zealand reported early last week that the constitutional review to be set up as part of the National and Maori parties agreement of confidence and supply is to finally be announced soon. One little snippet stands out:

Mr Key says the review panel will be able to address questions such as the implications of becoming a republic.

We can't find any actual reference to where this quote came from, despite writing to Waatea News we've had no response. Note Mr Key also states that the panel is "able" to address the implications of a republic, not that it will.

Still, it's better than nothing, and most readers will remember that both the National and Maori parties voted against the Head of State Referenda Bill on the basis of the review looking at the issue. So we'll wait and see what happens this week, if anything is announced - although we're pretty cynical since the 2005 constitutional review was meant to look at the republic issue, but didn't.

One thing we are sure of is that opponents of change will oppose any review, any discussion or debate of constitutional issues. They know keeping the public ignorant works in their favour. Here's a classic piece from Simon Upton, writing on Mike Moore's proposal for a constitutional convention back in February 2008, stated:

Experience suggests that the sort of enlightened people who lead grave processes have little trouble finding themselves overwhelmed and compelled.

Unwittingly, Mr Upton has given away the real reason for monarchists opposition to constitutional reviews: they might change people's minds.