Budget 2019 reveals that New Zealand taxpayers spend $10m per year on our de facto head of state, the Governor-General. That’s about the same as an actual head of state.
23 May: New Zealand's first "republic"
The Queen, Tainui and the non-apology
The Queen has only ever signed one piece of New Zealand legislation, the Waikato Raupatu Claims Settlement Act 1995, the Deed of Settlement for which was signed on this day in 1995. The reasons behind the Queen signing the legislation, and not the apology or Deed of Settlement itself, underline the absurdity of the monarchy in New Zealand.
