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Waitangi Day time to ask: where is New Zealand headed?

MEDIA RELEASE 4 February 2012

"This Waitangi Day is an important time to start thinking about where New Zealand is headed as a nation - not just where we've been" said Republican Movement chair Lewis Holden.

The Queen's Ascension Day coincides with Waitangi Day, something which Jock Philips of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage describes as an "accident of history".

"The Queen has been our head of state for 60 years this year. While there will be plenty of reflection on the past, the Republican Movement's focus remains on New Zealand's future, especially with the forthcoming consitutional review" continued Mr Holden.

On Waitangi Day, the Republican Movement will publish its draft policy statement for public discussion. This statement will form the basis of its campaign to start New Zealanders thinking about who our head of state is.

"The transition to a New Zealand republic is a simple, but important step in New Zealand's progression to full and unambigous independence. Whether we think the Queen has done a great job as our head of state for the last 60 years or not, the reality is New Zealand is a very different place than it was in 1952. What will the next 60 years bring us as a country?

A New Zealand republic can still retain our historical links as a former part of the British Empire while asserting our nation on the world stage. It's time to ask: where are we headed?" concluded Mr Holden.

NOTES

ENDS

"What their mother and father were will not stop them"

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Monarchists claim the class system is part of New Zealand's heritage. They're wrong. Here's an excerpt from a documentary on the British Empire.

New Prime Minister Portia Miller announces plans for Jamaican Republic

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Portia Miller, after being sworn in as the new Jamaican prime minister, announces in her inaugural adddress that Jamaica needs to complete the "circle of independence" and will break with the British monarchy to become the "Independent Republic of Jamaica".

She also calls the Queen a "beautiful woman" but says the "time has come".

Time to Broadcast Jerry's Speech

MEDIA RELEASE 23 December 2011 

"The Republican Movement welcomes moves by Government House to broadcast the Governor-General's new year message" said Lewis Holden, chair of the Republican Movement.

Government House has confirmed that for the first time ever, the Governor-General's 2012 new year message will be recorded and broadcast on YouTube. The Republican Movement calls on New Zealand's television networks to broadcast the message as widely as the Queen's Christmas message.

"With 47% of Kiwis stating in a recent Readers' Digest poll that they're not going to watch the Queen's Christmas message, it's time for TVNZ, TV3, Prime and Sky News to broadcast the Governor-General's new year message instead."

"Past Governor-General's messages have been far more relevant to New Zealanders, and are on a date that reflects the reality of New Zealand's secular society" concluded Mr Holden.

NOTES

ENDS

Keith Locke accepts the Colonel Allen Bell Award, 2011

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Retiring Green MP Keith Locke receives the Col. Allen Bell Award for 2011 from Republican Movement vice-chair Savage. Chairperson Lewis Holden introduces the award and thanks Keith for his hard work on bringing about a New Zealand republic.

October 2011 newsletter

In this edition:

  • AGM and dinner this Saturday
  • Succession laws to change
  • Monarchist leader wins nomination for safe seat
  • Elias replaces Mataparae
  • Editorial: where was Mataparae at the RWC?
  • Higgins elected Irish head of state
  • John Key on Knighthoods: "I decide"

Succession changes should be part of constitutional review

MEDIA RELEASE 29 October 2011

The Republican Movement calls on the government to include changes to the monarchy's succession rules in the constitutional review. New Zealanders have the right to decide the rules that determine who our head of state is.

"The proposed changes anounced at CHOGM is irrelevant to every day New Zealanders, just like the monarchy itself. The changes, to remove the sexist rules from the succession, only remind us how long the monarchy has discriminated against women and Catholics," said Savage, vice-chair of the Republican Movement.

"These aren't just out of date rules about which Windsor will assume the British throne. They're a statement about our constitution and about who is and who isn't allowed to be New Zealand's head of state."

An agreement, signed yesterday during the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM), calls on the 16 "realm" countries to remove the ban on older females succeeding to the throne ahead of male heirs, and to allow the monarch to marry a Catholic. The rule against our head of state from being a Catholic remains, because the British monarch is head of the Church of England.

"These rules still mean that if you're a New Zealander - Pakeha, Maori, Pacific or Asian, you are not as good as the British royal family and can't be head of state of New Zealand" concluded Savage.

President of Ireland: just like the Queen, but elected

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An excerpt from the UK's Channel Four report on the race for the Irish presidency. A great overview of the office, and an example of what elections for a non-executive position look like.

Rule change for William and Kate's first child underlines monarchy's absurdity

MEDIA RELEASE 13 October 2011

British Prime Minister David Cameron is mustering support for changes to rules for the British monarchy's succession, and will lead a meeting at this month's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth, Australia. The changes put the absurdity of the monarchy in New Zealand back into the spotlight.

"This is a ridiculous situation: Britain's PM will essentially be telling the 15 Commonwealth realms - including New Zealand - what their constitutional law will be. While the changes are well overdue, the form they are taking emphasises the way the monarchy undermines New Zealand's independence" said Lewis Holden, chair of the Republican Movement.

Earlier in the year New Zealand Prime Minister John Key pledged his support for changing the sexist males-before-females rule, which currently means that if William and Kate's first born child is a girl, she would come second to a younger male child because of her gender. Mr Cameron also proposes getting rid of the discriminatory rule banning Catholics. This is unlikely to succeed as it would mean the United Kingdom would have to disestablish the Church of England.

"More than likely, New Zealand will be stuck with the discriminatory rules banning Catholics from the throne because of the arcane rules of another country. There is no-way New Zealanders would accept such discrimination in any other office. It's clear that the changes are being rushed in before William and Kate's first child is born. This is an absurd situation for the office of New Zealand's head of state in the 21st century to be in. The simplest way to get rid of this discrimination is to have an independent New Zealander as our head of state" concluded Mr Holden.

ENDS

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