Bill Shorten, leader of the Australian Labor Party, has pledged his party's support for an Australian republic and an Australian Head of State within ten years. Speaking at the party's annual conference Mr Shorten said "Let us make this the first decade where our head of state is one of us". You can read more at the Sydney Morning Herald website.

The New Zealand Labour Party has already committed to holding a referendum on New Zealand's Head of State but have not committed to a timeline.

While this issue is important in both countries it is also important that it does not become associated with just one political party. Support for a New Zealand Head of State exists across the political spectrum and, as the current flag debate has demonstrated, it inhibits public debate if a constiutional or national identity issue becomes too closely associated with one party or one party's leader.

You can visit Australian Republic's website here.