The Queen is still tops for the late Sir Edmund Hillary, writes Jonathan Milne in The Sunday Star Times.

From The Sunday Star-Times June 6, 2004

By Jonathan Milne

THE NEW ZEALANDER who planted the Union Jack on top of Everest is sticking with the Queen as head of state but reserving his judgement on her successor.

Sir Edmund Hillary said he had never regretted raising the Union Jack rather than a New Zealand flag.

"I must admit I have a great affection for Her Majesty the Queen and I think she does an exceptionally good job. But I don't have strong feelings about her being replaced."

He would not discuss whether Prince Charles or Prince William would be appropriate successors: "I have my ideas about it all."

The Sunday Star-Times reported last week a key parliamentary committee is set to ask the public whether a New Zealander should replace the Queen as head of state, as a poll showed increased support for a republic.

When Hillary became the first person to reach the peak of the world's highest mountain in 1953, as a member of a British climbing party, fellow climber Tensing Norgay tied the Union Jack to the handle of his ice-axe, along with the United Nations and the Nepalese flags. "I'm not a great flag-waver. I've never waved a flag on top of Everest, at the South Pole of North Pole or anywhere at all. I'm not all that interested in waving a flag madly around," Hillary said. "At that stage New Zealanders were British - we were New Zealand citizens but we were British subjects. It seemed perfectly normal to me that a British flag should be raised on the summit.

"I'm a New Zealander. My enthusiasms are for New Zealand. But that doesn't mean that I haven't a great respect for the Queen." Tomorrow New Zealand celebrates its annual Queen's Birthday statutory holiday - one not celebrated in Britain - and the government issues a new batch of local honours to replace the old royal honours. MPs from across parliament support having a New Zealander as head of state instead of the Queen, supporting calls for a national debate on becoming a republic.

John Tamihere (Labour) said Britain was increasingly tied to the European Union and it was ludicrous for New Zealand to be dragged along. "It is very important that we have a debate, a conversation, about what it is to be a Kiwi."

Georgina te Heuheu (National) said New Zealand would evolve into a republican nation in its own right and Maori were ready to discuss it.

Peter Dunne (United Future) said it would be difficult to discuss constitutional arrangements, in the proposed commission into the constitution, without considering a republic: "New Zealand is a flourishing, mature, independent state, and perfectly capable of electing its own head of state like all the other republics in the Commonwealth."

Keith Locke (Greens) said it was psychologically important to lose our deference to a head of state selected by accident of birth. "How can we play a truly independent role on the international stage while we're still tied to the royal apron strings?"

Ken Shirley (Act) said the move toward a republic should be made cautiously through a national referendum.

Matt Robson (Progressives) said an elected head of state was key to democracy. "I think it's insulting to have a hereditary head of state."

NZ First MPs said they supported keeping the Queen as head of state.