Governor-General's Matariki message

Submitted by LJ Holden on 29 June, 2011 - 08:29

The Governor-General has released his second Matariki message. One part in particular caught my attention:

We are a nation of talented, creative and resourceful individuals who, together, ensure the success and prosperity of our country. It has been a privilege to see the overwhelmingly positive activities of those communities over the past five years and to witness the country joining as one family in times of adversity.

Sadly because of the monarchy we are not talented, creative or resourceful enough to be head of state of our own country; or even to be trusted with choosing who our head of state is. But the Governor-General's message is another move in the right direction.

Comments

Mike Wilkinson's picture
Submitted by Mike Wilkinson on 4 July, 2011 - 11:46.

Is an obvious question for anyone who says they love NZ, do you support the country becoming a republic?  Can one truly be a monarchist and still claim to love NZ?

LJ Holden's picture
Submitted by LJ Holden on 4 July, 2011 - 23:08.

To be fair on the monarchists, I think most of them do love New Zealand - they just fear what a republic could mean. Overcoming that fear is one of our greatest challenges.


Of course there are a few colonial cringers who curse the fact they were born in a colony and not dear old Blighty, but their numbers are getting thinner. Out here on the edge, the Empire is fading by the day...

Chair, Republican Movement - contact me online or call on +64 27 699 1350
Savage's picture
Submitted by Savage on 5 July, 2011 - 08:56.

I don't think we should ever stoop to saying things like that. Its just
empty rhetoric. And loving a whole country is a pretty abstract idea. If
its at all possible then I would imagine some people love NZ despite
its many faults (both cultural and seismic). On the whole there is plenty of aroha in
Aotearoa and increasing it wherever possible is a good idea. 

Savage
Mike Wilkinson's picture
Submitted by Mike Wilkinson on 5 July, 2011 - 10:59.

Lewis,


I agree that overcoming that fear is a major issue for us.  Don't you think one way to help do that is for the Movement to make demands over what a change needs to include/not include?  If we were to do that, wouldn't we be giving people more certainty about what the change would mean?

Also, what do you think about the more positive characterisation that republicanism's not about the Empire fading, it's about NZ coming of age?

Cheers,
Mike

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