Republicanism in New Zealand is the political position that
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
's system of government should be changed from a
constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in making decisions. ...
to a
republic
A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
.
New Zealand
republicanism
Republicanism is a political ideology that encompasses a range of ideas from civic virtue, political participation, harms of corruption, positives of mixed constitution, rule of law, and others. Historically, it emphasizes the idea of self ...
dates back to the 19th century, but it was only a fringe movement until the late 20th century. The main current republican lobby group,
New Zealand Republic, was established in 1994.
Contemporary republican debate in New Zealand focuses on the issues of
constitutional reform and
New Zealand's independence. The matter of
the Crown
The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...
's obligations under the
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...
, and the
treaty settlement process, is cited as a constitutional issue for a New Zealand republic.
Most proponents of a republic support a
parliamentary republic
A parliamentary republic is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system of government where the Executive (government), executive branch (the government) derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (the parliament). ...
with the
head of state
A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
separate from the
head of government
In the Executive (government), executive branch, the head of government is the highest or the second-highest official of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presid ...
, with the head of state having limited power.
Because
New Zealand's constitution is uncodified, a republic could be enacted by
statute
A statute is a law or formal written enactment of a legislature. Statutes typically declare, command or prohibit something. Statutes are distinguished from court law and unwritten law (also known as common law) in that they are the expressed wil ...
, as a simple
act of parliament. It is generally assumed that this would only occur following a nationwide
referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
. Several
prime ministers
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but rat ...
and
governors-general
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
have identified themselves as republicans, but no government has yet taken any meaningful steps towards enacting a republic.
History
The term "republic" in New Zealand has been used as a protest and a pejorative against the central government and/or royalty, to describe an area independent of the central government.
19th century
The first use of the term "republic" to connote an independent state in New Zealand came in 1840 when Lieutenant-Governor
William Hobson described the
New Zealand Company
The New Zealand Company, chartered in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom, was a company that existed in the first half of the 19th century on a business model that was focused on the systematic colonisation of New Ze ...
settlement of Port Nicholson (
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
), which had its own constitution and governing council, as such.
The existence of the council prompted Hobson to declare British sovereignty over the entirety of New Zealand on 21 May 1840, despite the fact the
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...
was still being signed throughout the country. Hobson dispatched the Colonial Secretary,
Willoughby Shortland
Commander Willoughby Shortland (30 September 1804 – 7 October 1869) was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He was New Zealand's first Colonial Secretary from 1841, after having arrived in New Zealand with Lieutenant Governor ...
along with some soldiers to demand the settlers disband their "illegal association" and remove the flag of the
United Tribes of New Zealand
The United Tribes of New Zealand () was a confederation of Māori tribes based in the north of the North Island, existing legally from 1835 to 1840. It received diplomatic recognition from the United Kingdom, which shortly thereafter proclaimed ...
.
Later, Wellington became the centre of agitation by settlers for representative government, which was granted by the
New Zealand Constitution Act 1852
The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 ( 15 & 16 Vict. c. 72) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted self-government to the Colony of New Zealand. It was the second such act, the New Zealand Constitution Act 1846 not ...
.
Samuel Revans, who founded the
Wellington Settlers' Constitutional Association in 1848, advocated a New Zealand republic.
In 1879 the people of
Hāwera
Hāwera is the second-largest centre in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island, with a population of . It is near the coast of the South Taranaki Bight. The origins of the town lie in a government military base that was establishe ...
declared themselves the "Republic of Hawera," due to a campaign by Māori leader
Te Whiti against European settlement.
They formed their own volunteer units to oppose Te Whiti. In 1881 government troops invaded
Parihaka
Parihaka is a community in the Taranaki region of New Zealand, located between Mount Taranaki and the Tasman Sea. In the 1870s and 1880s the settlement, then reputed to be the largest Māori people, Māori village in New Zealand, became the centre ...
and arrested Te Whiti, bringing the "republic" to an end.
20th century
In the
1911 general election Colonel
Allen Bell, the
Reform Party candidate for the
Raglan seat, advocated the abolition of the monarchy. The armed forces considered that Bell had broken his Oath of Allegiance. He was asked to resign his commission, which he did in January 1912.
In 1966
Bruce Jesson founded the
Republican Association of New Zealand, and later the
Republican Party in 1967. The party had a stridently nationalist platform.
Republican Party activity petered out after the
1969 general election and the party wound up in 1974.
In May 1973, a remit was proposed at the
Labour Party national conference to change the flag, declare New Zealand a republic, and change the national anthem (then only "
God Save the Queen
"God Save the King" ("God Save the Queen" when the monarch is female) is '' de facto'' the national anthem of the United Kingdom. It is one of two national anthems of New Zealand and the royal anthem of the Isle of Man, Australia, Canada and ...
"), but this was voted down.
In March 1994 the
Republican Coalition of New Zealand was formed to promote the move to a republic. The following year, the Monarchist League of New Zealand (now
Monarchy New Zealand
Monarchy New Zealand is a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to promote, support and defend the constitutional monarchy, constitutional monarchy of New Zealand. In addition to the general public, the organisat ...
) was established to defend the constitutional monarchy.
In 1994
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Jim Bolger
James Brendan Bolger ( ; born 31 May 1935) is a New Zealand retired politician of the National Party who was the 35th prime minister of New Zealand, serving from 1990 to 1997.
Bolger was born in Ōpunake, Taranaki, to Irish immigrants. Bef ...
suggested to the
44th Parliament in the
Address In Reply debate that New Zealand should move to become a republic by 2001. Bolger stated that New Zealand's links with Britain were in decline, and that the country should acknowledge that "the tide of history is moving in one direction."
He denied that his views relate to his
Irish heritage.
Bolger spoke to
Queen Elizabeth about the issue of New Zealand becoming a republic when he was prime minister and recalled "I have more than once spoken with Her Majesty about my view that New Zealand would at some point elect its own Head of State, we discussed the matter in a most sensible way and she was in no way surprised or alarmed and neither did she cut my head off."
In 1998, Richard Nottage, the
Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, called for New Zealand to consider becoming a republic, arguing that the position of the "British monarch" as head of state "looks strange in Asian eyes".
In 1999 the Republican Coalition relaunched itself as the Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand, similar to the
Australian Republican Movement
The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is a Nonpartisanism, non-partisan organisation campaigning for Australia to become a republic. The ARM and its supporters have promoted various models, including a parliamentary republic, and the organisa ...
, due to the
1999 Australian republic referendum
The Australian republic referendum held on 6 November 1999 was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic, under a bi-partisan appointment model where ...
, and again renamed itself in 2014 as New Zealand Republic.
21st century
In November 2004, Prime Minister
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...
announced the formation of a parliamentary committee of inquiry, the
Constitutional Arrangements Committee, chaired by
United Future New Zealand leader
Peter Dunne
Peter Francis Dunne (born 17 March 1954) is a New Zealand retired politician.
Dunne was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ōhāriu electorate and its predecessors from 1984 to 2017, first as a member of the Labour Party from 1984 to 1 ...
. In its final report, the committee recommended wider education on the constitution and included a note on the republic issue, asking "Is the nature of New Zealand's head of state, as a monarch, appropriate to New Zealand's evolving national and constitutional identity?".
Keith Locke's Head of State Referenda Bill for a referendum on the republic issue was drawn from the members' ballot and introduced into Parliament on 14 October 2009.
The bill focused on reforming the
governor-general of New Zealand
The governor-general of New Zealand () is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and lives in the United Kingdom, he, on the Advice ...
as a ceremonial head of state, creating a
parliamentary republic
A parliamentary republic is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system of government where the Executive (government), executive branch (the government) derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (the parliament). ...
.
Two models of a republic along with the status quo would have been put to a referendum:
* Election of the head of state indirectly by a
supermajority
A supermajority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level of support which is greater than the threshold of one-half used for a simple majority. Supermajority rules in a democracy can help to prevent a majority from eroding fun ...
of members of Parliament, similar to the
bi-partisan appointment model proposed in Australia;
* Election of the head of state directly by the New Zealand electorate using the
Single Transferable Vote
The single transferable vote (STV) or proportional-ranked choice voting (P-RCV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which each voter casts a single vote in the form of a ranked ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vot ...
electoral system, similar to
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
.
On 21 April 2010 the bill was defeated at its first reading 53–68 with voting recorded as Ayes 53 being
New Zealand Labour 43;
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice.
Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
9;
United Future 1 and Noes 68 being
New Zealand National 58;
ACT New Zealand
ACT New Zealand (; ), also known as the ACT Party or simply ACT, is a Right-wing politics, right-wing, Classical liberalism, classical liberal, Right-libertarianism, right-libertarian, and Conservatism, conservative List of political parties i ...
5;
Māori Party
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
4;
Progressive 1.
The debate
Arguments for change
Supporters of a New Zealand republic have said:
*New Zealand should have a New Zealander, or more correctly a New Zealand citizen resident in New Zealand, as its
head of state
A head of state is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...
; a "resident for president";
*New Zealand needs to assert its independence, nationhood and maturity to the world;
*New Zealand's constitution—and indeed the attitudes of New Zealanders—are republican in their outlook.
*New Zealand already maintains the
governor-general
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
—who is described as a "virtual head of state".
The governor-general is a New Zealander and does everything the head of state should do;
*Because the
sovereign
''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...
and governor-general have little real power, they are not an effective check on the parliamentary executive (the prime minister and Cabinet), the argument that the sovereign or governor-general "denies power" to politicians and is politically neutral yet can fire a prime minister is contradictory;
*An elected or appointed head of state would be a more effective check on the executive;
*A republic does not necessarily mean withdrawing from
the Commonwealth
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
. As of June 2022, 36 out of the 56 member states (65 per cent) are republics.
*The prime minister should not have the power to dismiss the governor-general at will and vice versa.
Other republicans have focused on the principles of a monarchy: many disagree with the
hereditary principle (based on a form of
primogeniture
Primogeniture () is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn Legitimacy (family law), legitimate child to inheritance, inherit all or most of their parent's estate (law), estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some childre ...
) that determines
succession of the throne. They argue that in a modern and democratic society no one should be expected to defer to another simply because of their birth. Some assert that the hereditary monarch and unelected governor-general have no mandate to dismiss an elected government.
At the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM; or) is a wiktionary:biennial, biennial summit meeting of the List of current heads of state and government, governmental leaders from all Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth nations. ...
of October 2011, the leaders of the 16
Commonwealth realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s agreed that they would support change to their respective succession laws regarding male primogeniture, and allow the monarch to marry a Roman Catholic. The ban on Catholics from being the monarch would remain, because the monarch has to be in "Communion with the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
."
Arguments against change
Supporters of the
monarchy in New Zealand
The monarchy of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of New Zealand. The current monarch is King Charles III, who has reigned since 8 September 2022.
The T ...
have said:
*"Constitutional monarchy is tried and proven system of government, some of the most politically stable nations in the world are constitutional monarchies; whereas some of the most unstable and repressive regimes have been republics." In the words of former Governor-General Sir
Michael Hardie Boys
Sir Michael Hardie Boys, (6 October 1931 – 29 December 2023) was a New Zealand lawyer and jurist who served as the 17th governor-general of New Zealand from 1996 to 2001.
Early life and family
Hardie Boys was born in 1931 in Wellington, th ...
, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
*For New Zealand, "monarchy summarises the inheritance of a thousand years of constitutional government and our links with a glorious past,"
*New Zealand is already an independent, sovereign nation with a national identity of its own;
*The monarchy is a symbol of unity between New Zealand and the other Commonwealth realms that share the same person as monarch; part of a "global family".
*The monarch is politically neutral and is a symbol of national unity rather than division;
*The monarch has "little real practical political powers and is a protector of and not a threat to democracy";
*Hereditary selection of the sovereign is the "most natural" non-partisan way to choose a leader.
Cost
Supporters of the monarchy have argued that it costs New Zealand taxpayers only a small outlay for royal engagements and tours, and the modest expenses of the governor-general's establishment. They state "
is figure is about one dollar per person per year", about $4.3 million per annum. An analysis by New Zealand Republic in 2010 wrote that the office of governor-general cost New Zealand taxpayers about $7.6 million in ongoing costs. They compared this cost to the
president of Ireland
The president of Ireland () is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The presidency is a predominantly figurehead, ceremonial institution, serving as ...
, a head of state of a country with a similar population size, who cost €3.4 million – NZ$6 million on the exchange rate at the time. Monarchy New Zealand said that republicanism supporters arbitrarily inflated the costs on the governor-general, instead stating that the Irish President's cost was closer to NZ$12.8 million once the extra costs were included.
Public opinion
, the New Zealand public were generally in favour of the retention of the monarchy, with polls showing it to have between 50 and 70 per cent support. Polls indicate that many New Zealanders see the monarchy as being of little day-to-day relevance; a
One News/
Colmar Brunton poll in 2002 found that 58 per cent of the population believed the monarchy has little or no relevance to their lives. ''
National Business Review
''National Business Review'' (or ''NBR'') is one of New Zealand's business news publishing websites. The NBR has focused on delivering breaking business news and analysis since its founding in 1970. NBR is known for its independent journalism f ...
'' poll in 2004 found 57 per cent of respondents believed New Zealand would become a republic "in the future".
The institution still enjoys the support of New Zealanders, particularly those born before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Some show a majority of younger New Zealanders support a republic.
With the approval of the current monarch, and the position of the Treaty of Waitangi under a republic remaining a concern to Māori and other New Zealanders alike, as well as the question of what constitutional form a republic might take unresolved, support for becoming a republic is still the view of around a third to 40 per cent of the population.
On 21 April 2008, New Zealand Republic released a poll of New Zealanders showing 43 per cent support the monarchy should
the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
become King of New Zealand, and 41 per cent support a republic under the same scenario. A poll by ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand.
It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand, ...
'' in January 2010, before a visit by
Prince William
William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales.
William was born during the reign of his p ...
to the country found 33.3 per cent wanted The Prince of Wales to be the next monarch, with 30.2 per cent favouring Prince William. 29.4 per cent of respondents preferred a republic in the event Elizabeth II died or abdicated.
An October 2011 survey of 500 business professionals asked "What Is Your Level Of Support For New Zealand Becoming A Republic?". 27 per cent said not at all, 24 per cent said somewhat opposed, 23.1 per cent were neutral, 14.8 per cent said moderately in favour and 11.1 per cent said strongly in favour.
On the eve of a royal tour by
Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, a ...
(later
King Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms.
Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
), and
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Camilla (born Camilla Rosemary Shand, later Parker Bowles, 17 July 1947) is Queen of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms as the wife of King Charles III.
Camilla was raised in East Sussex and South Kensington i ...
, in November 2012, a ONE News/Colmar Brunton poll reported 70 per cent of people questioned responded they wanted to keep the Queen as head of state, while 19 percent supported New Zealand becoming a republic. Following the tour, a different poll by Curia Market Research commissioned by New Zealand Republic found 51 per cent of respondents wanted Charles as King once the Queen's reign ends, while 41 per cent supported a republic.
On 17 July 2013, a televised debate on TV3's ''The Vote'' held three polls, two separate votes by the studio audience at the start and end of the programme, and one via Twitter, Facebook, web and text voting, on the question "Should we ditch the Royals?" The first studio audience vote before the show was 43 per cent yes, and the second after the show was 65 per cent, while the public vote result was 41 per cent yes and 59 per cent no.
From 8 to 24 April 2019, a nationwide poll of 1,000 randomly-selected voting-age New Zealanders was conducted, which showed that 55 per cent of New Zealanders want a New Zealander as the country's next head of state, while 39 per cent want the next British monarch. Support for a New Zealander being the country's next head of state was recorded strongest among
Māori respondents, with 80 per cent in support, and respondents aged 18–30, with 76 per cent in support.
Following the
2020 general election, an online poll of 1,003 New Zealanders aged eighteen and over found that 20 per cent agreed that "New Zealand should become a republic", with 36 per cent of the respondents remaining neutral and 44 per cent disagreeing outright. The poll also found that 19 per cent wanted to change the national flag, and ten per cent wanted to change the country's name.
A ''
1News
1News is the news service of the New Zealand television network TVNZ. Its flagship programme is the daily evening newscast ''1News at Six''; other programmes include morning news-talk show ''Breakfast'', '' Te Karere'', '' Seven Sharp'', and ...
''/
Kantar
A kantar is the official Egyptian weight unit for measuring cotton. It corresponds to the US hundredweight, and is roughly equal to 99.05 pounds, or 45.02 kilogram
The kilogram (also spelled kilogramme) is the base unit of mass in the Inte ...
poll conducted shortly after the
death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022 found increased support for the monarchy: 50 per cent of respondents wanted to retain the monarch, with 27 per cent supporting a republic.
Political party positions
, three
political parties
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...
with members in New Zealand's parliament had a policy of holding a binding referendum on the republic issue.
Labour
The
Labour Party adopted a policy of holding a binding referendum on the issue at their 2013 conference.
Then-leader
Andrew Little supported a New Zealand republic, saying "when it comes to our constitutional arrangements in New Zealand I have a firm view that our head of state should come from New Zealand."
Former Labour Prime Minister
Jacinda Ardern
Dame Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician and activist who was the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, leader of the Labour Party from 2017 to 2023. She was ...
states that she is a republican, and that she would "encourage national debate over cutting ties with the royal family".
In 2002, Labour Prime Minister
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark (born 26 February 1950) is a New Zealand politician who served as the 37th prime minister of New Zealand from 1999 to 2008 and was the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme from 2009 to 2017. She was ...
stated:
:"…the idea of a nation such as New Zealand being ruled by a head of state some 20,000 km away is absurd. It is inevitable that New Zealand will become a republic. It is just a matter of when the New Zealand people are bothered enough to talk about it – it could be 10 years, or it could be 20 years, but it will happen."
Then-Deputy Prime Minister
Michael Cullen declared that he supported the monarchy, stating in 2004 he was "a sort of token monarchist in the Cabinet these days."
In 2010 he repudiated that stance, taking the view that New Zealand should move towards a republic once the Queen's reign ends.
Former Prime Minister
David Lange
David Russell Lange ( ; 4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989. A member of the New Zealand Labour Party, Lange was also the Minister of Education ...
expressed support for a New Zealand republic, stating: "Do such things matter? They certainly do. We suffer in this country from a lack of emotional focus... New Zealand will become a republic just as Britain will be blurred into Europe".
In 2023, Prime Minister
Chris Hipkins
Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand politician who has served as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party since January 2023 and leader of the Opposition (New Zealand), leader of the Opposition since November 2023. H ...
stated that although he favoured a republic, he did not intend to pursue New Zealand becoming a republic during his premiership: "Ideally, in time, New Zealand will become a fully independent country, will stand on our own two feet in the world, as we by and large do now ... I don’t think that swapping out the governor general for some other form of head of state is necessarily an urgent priority right now, though."
National
The
National Party's constitution specifies that the party's visions and values include "Loyalty to our country, its democratic principles and our Sovereign as Head of State". In 2001, a constitutional policy task force recommended holding a referendum on the monarchy after the reign of Queen Elizabeth came to an end, along with referendums on the future of the
Māori seats and the number of MPs. Only the policy on Māori seats was passed by the party's regional conferences. Former MPs
John Carter, and
Wayne Mapp and
Richard Worth have been among the most vocal supporters of the monarchy within the party. At the 2011 elections, former Chair of
Monarchy New Zealand
Monarchy New Zealand is a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to promote, support and defend the constitutional monarchy, constitutional monarchy of New Zealand. In addition to the general public, the organisat ...
Simon O'Connor was elected as MP for Tamaki and his Deputy
Paul Foster-Bell was later elected a List MP in 2013 and both were re-elected at the 2014 election.
At the 2014 election the former Chair of New Zealand Republic, Lewis Holden, was nominated as candidate for the Rimutaka electorate but failed to enter Parliament with incumbent Labour MP
Chris Hipkins
Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand politician who has served as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party since January 2023 and leader of the Opposition (New Zealand), leader of the Opposition since November 2023. H ...
retaining the electorate, and Holden holding a list ranking too low (at 66 on the National list) to enter parliament. Among the 2014 caucus of new National Members of Parliament, a number of portraits of the Queen have been placed in their Wellington offices through an initiative led by Monarchy New Zealand. In 2009, former Prime Minister
John Key
Sir John Phillip Key (born 9 August 1961) is a New Zealand retired politician who served as the 38th prime minister of New Zealand from 2008 to 2016 and as leader of the National Party from 2006 to 2016.
Following his father's death when ...
said he was "not convinced it
republicwill be a big issue in the short term", but that he thinks a republic is "inevitable"; since this statement he has affirmed his support for the monarchy and made it clear that while he was prime minister a republic would not happen "on his watch".
Green
Support for a republic is strongest amongst the supporters of the
Green Party
A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice.
Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
, and it is party policy to support a "democratic and participatory process, such as referenda". Former Green MP
Keith Locke had a
member's bill
A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in whi ...
drawn on the issue, the Head of State Referenda Bill, for a referendum on the issue, but it was voted down at its first reading in parliament in 2009.
Minor parties
During a debate for the
2020 election,
John Tamihere
John Henry Tamihere (born 8 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician, media personality, and political commentator. He was a member of Parliament from 1999 to 2005, including serving as a Cabinet of New Zealand, Cabinet minister in the New Zea ...
of the
Māori Party
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
voiced support for New Zealand to become a republic after the death of Queen Elizabeth (which had not then occurred), saying, "it's about time".
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters (born 11 April 1945) is a New Zealand politician. He has led the political party New Zealand First since he founded it in 1993, and since November 2023 has served as the 25th Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand), ...
of
New Zealand First
New Zealand First (), commonly abbreviated to NZ First or NZF, is a political party in New Zealand, founded and led by Winston Peters, who has served three times as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, deputy prime minister. The party has form ...
stated that the question of a republic should be resolved through a two-step referendum.
Former
United Future New Zealand leader
Peter Dunne
Peter Francis Dunne (born 17 March 1954) is a New Zealand retired politician.
Dunne was the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ōhāriu electorate and its predecessors from 1984 to 2017, first as a member of the Labour Party from 1984 to 1 ...
is a supporter of a New Zealand republic. The party had a policy of "a public education process on constitutional matters, leading towards consideration of New Zealand as a republic within the Commonwealth in the future."
Governors-general
In 2004 former Governor-General Dame
Catherine Tizard said publicly that the monarch should be replaced by a New Zealand head of state. Her predecessor, Sir
Paul Reeves has stated that he would not oppose a republic. Sir Michael Hardie Boys has supported the status quo.
On 29 July 2006, outgoing Governor-General Dame
Silvia Cartwright stated she had no views as to whether New Zealand becomes a republic, noting: "We often overlook the intense loyalty and love the Māori people have for the Queen – probably more intense than many people of European descent. This is a history that's never going to die."
Constitutional issues
New Zealand is a
unitary state
A unitary state is a (Sovereign state, sovereign) State (polity), state governed as a single entity in which the central government is the supreme authority. The central government may create or abolish administrative divisions (sub-national or ...
and does not have a
codified, entrenched constitution. Some have argued New Zealand is a ''de facto'' republic.
New Zealand has made constitutional changes without difficulty in the past, such as the abolition of its
upper house of parliament in 1951, the introduction of
proportional representation
Proportional representation (PR) refers to any electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to political divisions (Political party, political parties) amon ...
in 1996 and most recently the creation of the
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand () is the highest court and the court of last resort of New Zealand. It formally came into being on 1 January 2004 and sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Co ...
as the court of final appeal. Legal academics have espoused the view that the legal changes required for a republic are not complex.
Some have argued that the changes required are less radical than the
move to MMP in 1996.
Type of republic
Most proponents of a republic, such as Sir
Geoffrey Palmer Geoffrey Palmer may refer to:
Politicians
*Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 1st Baronet (1598–1670), English lawyer and politician
*Sir Geoffrey Palmer, 3rd Baronet (1655–1732), English politician, member of parliament (MP) for Leicestershire
*Geoffrey Pal ...
and Andrew Butler, support a
parliamentary republic
A parliamentary republic is a republic that operates under a parliamentary system of government where the Executive (government), executive branch (the government) derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature (the parliament). ...
, that is, a republic where the head of state and head of government are kept separate. Alison Quentin-Baxter and Janet McLean argue that republican advocates in New Zealand show "...a strong preference for constitutions based on the parliamentary system of government as being a more stable basis for democratic government than those based on a presidential system." A head of state in such a system would have the same
reserve powers as the sovereign and governor-general.
Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi
The
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...
() is an agreement signed between
Māori tribes and representatives of the British Crown, signed in 1840. Because of the relationship between Māori and the Crown, the Treaty of Waitangi is often cited as a constitutional issue for a New Zealand republic.
Some academics expressed concern that governments could use republicanism to evade treaty responsibilities. With the division of the Crown between the United Kingdom and New Zealand following the passing of the
Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947, the "Crown in Right of New Zealand" became party to the Treaty. Legal academics state that the Treaty would be unaffected by New Zealand becoming a republic, as the new head of state would inherit the Crown's responsibilities. In 2004, Professor Noel Cox argued "In strict legal terms, if New Zealand became a republic tomorrow it would make no difference to the Treaty of Waitangi. Speaking as a lawyer, it's a long-established principle that successive governments take on responsibility for previous agreements."
Realm of New Zealand
The
Realm of New Zealand
The Realm of New Zealand is the area over which the monarch of New Zealand is head of state. The realm is not a federation but is a collection of states and territories united under its monarch. New Zealand is an independent and sovereign sta ...
consists of New Zealand proper and two states in free association,
Niue
Niue is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. It is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is part of Polynesia, and predominantly inhabited by Polynesians. One of the world's largest coral islands, Niue is c ...
and the
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...
. Should New Zealand become a republic, the Realm of New Zealand would continue to exist without New Zealand, the Ross Dependency and
Tokelau
Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, an ...
.
This would not be a legal hurdle to a New Zealand republic,
and both the Cook Islands and Niue would retain their status as associated states with New Zealand, as New Zealand shares its head of state with the Cook Islands and Niue in the same way the United Kingdom shares its head of state with the other
Commonwealth realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state in the Commonwealth of Nations that has the same constitutional monarch and head of state as the other realms. The current monarch is King Charles III. Except for the United Kingdom, in each of the re ...
s.
Commonwealth membership
Following the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2007, the Kampala Communiqué stated "Heads of Government also agreed that, where an existing member changes its formal constitutional status, it should not have to reapply for Commonwealth membership provided that it continues to meet all the criteria for membership."
See also
*
Constitution of New Zealand
The constitution of New Zealand is the sum of law of New Zealand, laws and principles that determine the political governance of New Zealand. Unlike many other nations, New Zealand has no single constitutional document. It is an uncodified const ...
*
Independence of New Zealand
The independence of New Zealand is a matter of continued academic and social debate. New Zealand has no fixed date of independence from the United Kingdom; instead, political independence came about as a result of New Zealand's evolving constit ...
*
New Zealand flag debate, a related issue
;Lobby groups
*
New Zealand Republic
*
Monarchy New Zealand
Monarchy New Zealand is a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to promote, support and defend the constitutional monarchy, constitutional monarchy of New Zealand. In addition to the general public, the organisat ...
;Former political parties
*
New Zealand Republican Party (1967)
*
New Zealand Republican Party (1995)
*
The Republic of New Zealand Party
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Res Publica : New Zealandinternational anti-monarchy Web directory
Monarchy New ZealandNew Zealand Republic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Republicanism in New Zealand
Constitution of New Zealand
Political movements in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...