Submitted by LJ Holden on 12 August, 2012 - 19:58
Kate Middleton and the Team GB Women's Hockey Team, posted on our Facebook page.
Yesterday, a follower of our Facebook page posted an image of Kate Middleton* (right) with Team GB's women's hockey team, who played against New Zealand at the London Olympics. Britain beat New Zealand to win bronze in the competition. They said "Dear NZd, here is your future Queen going all out for NZ. Oh wait!". Kate was at the match, seated next to Britain's coach, cheering for Britain. As you'd expect. This is not the best argument for a New Zealand republic - but still something sports fanatics took umbrage to.
That umbrage has carried over to today's Herald on Sunday, which has something of a face off between its editor, Bryce Johns who put forward the "monarchist" perspective on Kate's cheering, while deputy editor Jonathan Milne put forward the republican one. Bryce opens his piece by saying "there are two words to describe the reason republicans have gone so quiet over the past year or so: Kate Middleton". This is laughable, since we've not actually seen a decline in press coverage of our campaign.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 11 August, 2012 - 00:20
Time magazine has a write-up on Jamaica's transition to a republic, making a point familiar to advocates of a New Zealand republic:
Submitted by LJ Holden on 7 August, 2012 - 20:53
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The proposed National War Memorial Park, another sign of our growing sense of national identity.
The Government announced today that the National War Memorial in Wellington is to be expanded into a park in time for the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings in 2015.
The work involves putting a four-lane highway underground and several surrounding streets, at a cost of $82 million (most of which relates to putting the highway in a cut-and-cover tunnel, at a cost of $70-75 million). The project was originally proposed by Prime Minister Helen Clark back in 2004, but the global financial crisis intervened and the plan was shelved for years. Listening and reading comments on this in various media today, it seemed apparent to me that this project (whether you're pro or anti-war) is matters to New Zealand. Is this because of New Zealand's growing sense of national identity?
Submitted by LJ Holden on 6 August, 2012 - 21:29
Time has an interesting interview with Jamaica's prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, marking the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence. The republic debate was, of course, raised in the interview:
Submitted by LJ Holden on 4 August, 2012 - 18:22
Peter O'Neill (left) and Sir Michael Somare (right).
Peter O'Neill has been sworn in as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea once again, following elections that were in the main mercifully violence free. With no help or intervention from Papua New Guinea's head of State - Britain's Queen Elizabeth - the constitutional crisis that was threatening to turn violent in December last year (and resulted in a mutiny) has been resolved, in O'Neills favour. We can only hope now that Papua New Guinea can carry on as a stable democracy, but given the way this crisis came about and the underlying reasons for it being unresolved, that seems rather doubtful.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 3 August, 2012 - 21:29
Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Perry Christie.
Jamaica disease has continued to spread in the Caribbean states where Britain's Queen remains head of State. With Jamaica's own republican moves gathering pace, there are now also moves afoot in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Grenada. The Bahamas - a chain of Islands off the coast of the United States - is now starting the process of reviewing its constitution. Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Perry Christie, has announced that a Commission is to be established to consider constitutional issues. From local Bahamas newspaper Tribune:
Submitted by LJ Holden on 2 August, 2012 - 08:32
Fiji's military government has decreed Queen's birthday holiday is to be abolished. Since Fiji has been a republic since the second coup of 1987 (the first coup simply overthrew the elected government, while the monarchy remained in place).
Submitted by LJ Holden on 1 August, 2012 - 16:23
Great column by Colin James a few months ago:
Submitted by LJ Holden on 30 July, 2012 - 21:34
We've been trying to find out how much of your hard-earned tax dollars are going into the upcoming visit by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla in November. As expected, the Department of Internal Affairs - which is responsible for the Guests of Government program from which the tour will be paid - has made a response that has left a lot to be desired.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 28 July, 2012 - 18:17
The Queen jumps from a helicopter!
Like millions of others around the world, you might have seen the opening ceremony to London's 2012 Olympic Games. It was a spectacular showcase of Britain - from Shakespeare to JK Rowling by way of Louis Carroll, feudalism through to industrialism, war and post-war, all from England's green and pleasant fields. And, of course, who could forget the Queen jumping out of a helicopter with 007 himself, James Bond (played by Daniel Craig).
Submitted by LJ Holden on 21 July, 2012 - 16:00
Samoa's parliament has re-elected the incumbent head of state, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, for a second five-year term. From numerous letters to the editor of the Samoa Observer it seems Tui Atua is very popular and, despite his age, the Samoan people seem happy for him to continue in the role.
Having parliament elect the head of state is just one way of electing the head of state. The interesting point about Samoa is that they initially had two unelected heads of state, one known as the Malietoa and the other Tupua, the last of whom died in 2007; at which time the Samoan parliament (the Fono) started to elect the head of state. The transition has been virtually painless.
Submitted by Mike Wilkinson on 19 July, 2012 - 21:40
Yesterday, I represented the Republican Movement in front of the Constitutional Review. They had asked representatives of a number of stakeholders in for a chat about engagement. Unfortunately, our intrepid chairman was away for business so I stepped up and did my best to fill his shoes.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 15 July, 2012 - 14:07
Lewis on Think Tank, 17 July 2012.
You might've seen John Tamihere's Think Tank on TV3 this morning. If not, here's the video of it on their OnDemand website. The discussion was around the Constitutional Review, which is now well underway.
As you'd expect I think it went well. The discussion was, predictably along the lines of each of the participants views. Our kaupapa as republicans is reasonably easy to get across compared to the issues Denis O'Rourke (NZ First MP) and Annette Sykes discussed. Still, one of our most important points- that the Constitutional Review's terms need to be widened - wasn't broadcast.
Submitted by LJ Holden on 13 July, 2012 - 07:39
A University of London based think-tank has recommended that the Queen is the “last” head of the Commonwealth, with the position being disestablished at the end of her reign.
Submitted by Savage on 12 July, 2012 - 11:47
The British Monarchy only have themselves to blame for the latest tragic chapter in this year's edition of The Royal Celebrity Saga. The Windors cloak themselves in luxury and mystique in an effort to preserve their vast wealth and antiquated political privileges.
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