4 December 2023
Media Release: With a new parliament, it's time to #ChangeTheOath
New Zealand Republic, Kia Mana Motuhake a Aotearoa, calls for a new oath that reflects modern Aotearoa New Zealand.
“Requiring our elected representatives to swear allegiance to King Charles III is nonsense. They owe no allegiance to Charles, they owe their position to all citizens of this country, as their as electors” said Lewis Holden, campaign chair of New Zealand Republic.
“The swearing of oaths to the monarch with each opening of parliament is a colonial-era hangover, originally introduced in England to exclude Catholics from parliament. For many New Zealanders, it represents an intrusion on our democracy by a privileged, irrelevant family, as if our democracy requires their permission to function. For Maori citizens, it is a reminder of that colonial era and the painful history that goes with it. That is hardly the way to build a united country with mutual respect for all.”
“We call on the new parliament to amend the oaths and affirmations to remove the oath and create a new one through a democratic process. We have a petition calling for that outcome” concluded Mr Holden.
NOTES
The petition can be found here: Petition · New Zealand Parliament: #ChangeTheOath · Change.org
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