Poneke looks at the Republican Movement poll results (repeated in today's edition of The Dominion Post), and disagrees with some of the conclusions drawn. He makes an interesting point on political leadership, and calls for a Royal commission* on a republic:

I think what is needed is a royal commission on our constitutional structure that can look at issues like this and suggest a way forward, the way the 1986 royal commission on the electoral system successfully did with MMP.

The biggest risk of a politician leading the republican cause is voter cynicism. We basically got MMP because most of our political leaders opposed it. The surest way to ensure we stay a monarchy is for our political leaders to promote a republic.

It is my view that a commission would dispell the public's fears on republicanism, which Poneke rightly states is due to voter cynicism. That's why the Republican Movement supported Mike Moore's call for a constitutional convention.

*Yes, that would be ironic.