Vision 2040: New Zealand's Head of State and Britain's Head of State meet as equals by Waitangi Day 2040
On the eve of Waitangi Day, campaign group New Zealand Republic is calling for New Zealand to transition the role of Governor-General to being our actual Head of State.
"We have a clear vision for 2040. New Zealand's Head of State and Britain's Head of State meet as equals on Waitangi Day 2040" said campaign spokesperson Savage. "It will be a day to celebrate. Each nation’s sovereign Head of State meeting together for the first time as equals at the treaty grounds".
"As we celebrate and discuss the importance of the Treaty we need to be honest about our constitutional future. Toitu Te Tiriti - the treaty is important but so is having a proper Head of State".
"We can't keep pretending that the British Head of State is our head of state. Successive Governors-General have brought sustained mana and dignity to the office. We just need to make that final transition. To clearly define its constitutional importance, to confirm what the reserve powers should be and decide how the office holder should be selected".
“But we should not wait for fourteen years. We need to be ready before 2040. Our constitutional progress has been measured by how independent and democratic we have become since 1840. But until we make the final step and have our own Head of State we cannot in all honesty call ourselves a sovereign nation.”
"This year voters need to decide who will choose our next Governor-General. At present the Prime Minister gets to do it. What we really need is to let all of parliament decide. From there it would be a straight-forward process to shift from parliamentary selection of the Governor-General to parliamentary selection of our very own Head of State".