TVNZ appear to have re-run their March poll on whether New Zealand should become a republic. The results show a marginal shift in favour of the monarchy - with 67% for "the Queen as head of state" and 25% for a republic. The last TVNZ poll had support for a republic at 28% versus the monarchy at 66%. TVNZ's polls are almost always strongly pro-monarchy, and as such are out of line with almost every other poll published (TV3, Sunday-Star Times, New Zealand Herald, NBR, etc):
Green Party MP Keith Locke says it's an anachronism that we're still tied to the British crown on the other side of the world but the role of the mother country seems one most are happy to go along with.
While 25% want New Zealand to become a republic, 67% want the Queen to remain head of state.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is moving Australia toward a republic by 2020 but New Zealand's Prime Minister does not see the rush - and the man who wants her job agrees.
The Governor General is the Queen's representative in New Zealand and although he has reserve powers to reject bills and ultimately dissolve a government, his role is largely ceremonial.
It's the MPs and cabinet ministers who have the real power.
Note there's no statistics on the poll's margin of error or how many people were surveyed (and how), all of which are fairly important factors when looking at opinion polls.





