If New Zealanders want to know what it would be like to have a Kiwi head of state they need look no further than our current Governor-General.
This week Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae is in Glasgow to "represent the Government and the people of New Zealand". He has met with the New Zealand games team and attended the Games closing ceremony. He was part of the launch of Creative New Zealand's promotional events for the Edinburgh Arts Festival and attended the Edinburgh Military tattoo. Today he will participate in a World War One commemoration service along side Prince Charles and the British Prime Minister David Cameron.
In 2014, the British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth is New Zealand's head of state in name only. The actual work and the mana of the office all belong to our Governor-General. Queen Elizabeth has been on the British throne for 60 years and despite all of this happening two hours drive from Balmoral Castle, the Monarch is unable to properly represent New Zealand. Instead we have sent our 'defacto head of state' to the other side of the world to represent our interests and viewpoint.
The various heads of states of Commonwealth countries have all visited Glasgow and been accorded due respect as their nation's highest representative yet our Governor-General is always in the shadow of the British royal family. Instead of standing aside Prince Charles as an equal Sir Jerry Mateparae will be looked on as a slightly lesser dignatory. Almost, but not quite, a commonwealth head of state.
New Zealanders and their Governor-General deserve better. We need to drop the pretence and stand with our own authority as a sovereign Commonwealth nation.
Pretending that the Governor-General is the Monarch's representative and not really our head of state is no longer tenable and no longer necessary. Prince Charles has little interest in fulfilling the role and it is time New Zealand reformed the role of Governor-General and made the final changes necessary for New Zealand to achieve full sovereignty.
Kia mana motuhake a Aotearoa. It's time for New Zealand stand with it's own authority.