No diamonds on the door handles at Government House

The elaborate diamond and gold-encrusted coach added to Buckingham Palace's collection this month reiterates why it is time for New Zealand to do things differently. We don't need a head of state surrounded by elaborate, ostentatious luxury and arcane ritual. We need a head of state who New Zealanders can talk with and relate to; someone who is one of us.

The position of Head of State is the highest public honour any New Zealander can achieve but no New Zealanders are eligible.  Sir Jerry Mateparae is the closest thing we have to a head of state at present but despite doing all the work of the head of state he is not accorded the full honour.  His merits and his mana as a person mark him out as an ideal candidate but unless we reform how our head of state is chosen he, and others like him, will never be recognised or respected in the way they should be. 

So, while the fleet of elaborate gold carriages and luxury cars grows ever larger at the palace, New Zealand Republic's campaign for a Kiwi Head of State is intent on making sure our head of state is one of us. 

We don't need diamond encrusted door handles or rare and vintage Rolls-Royces to make it work. We just need a head of state that works hard, remains independent and who represents us all regardless of how wealthy we are or what party we vote for.

BBC and Herald highlight head of state problem

Today's NZ Herald article about a BBC documentary that confused our Attorney-General with our Governor-General highlights what is wrong with our current arrangements. The role of New Zealand's Governor-General is not properly understood either here or overseas.

The documentary was about Claridges hotel in London during the buildup to the London Olympics. Our Governor-General attended the Olympics and the trip was paid for from the Government House's travel budget. The BBC were told that the New Zealand 'Attorney-General' was about to visit.

That the hotel or the BBC should make the mistake seems, in isolation, a minor mistake but it points to the larger problem.

Our current 'head of state' lives on the other side of the world and cannot properly represent us so instead NZ sends the person who does all the actual work of head of state.

Our Governor-General frequently travels overseas because, as the Herald points out, "as head of state, Sir Jerry Mateparae represents New Zealand at many events".

The Governor-General is not however accorded the full respect due to a visiting head of state.  It is not always clear to people overseas just what the role of Governor-General (or is that Attorney-General?) actually entails.

So common is the problem that at Waitangi Day this year John Key said of Mateparae, "He's our head of state, and he deserves to be treated with respect".

We spend $6 million a year on our 'head of state'. It is expected we will spend $2.0 million on overseas travel over the next four years. Let's accept the reality of what our Governor-General is and give the position the respect it deserves.

Replacing Queen's Birthday weekend

Queen's birthday weekend is slowly turning into something else. The actual day doesn't coincide with anyone's actual birthday or commemorate any actual event. Neither is it celebrated on the same day by any other 15 commonwealth realms. The only reason it is held on the first Sunday in June is because in 1908 it was moved to June to take advantage of better summer weather in the UK. This year it will happen on June 14th in the UK.

Some royalists stage an annual dinner but to most New Zealanders is little more than a long weekend at the start of winter. Last year Waterfront Auckland staged a 'Best of British' event on Queen's Wharf. This year they have re-themed it as Queen's Birthday on Queen's Wharf and made a conscious effort to include Irish cultural events as well. Their event is not about just about the UK. It celebrates all the cultures and languages of the entire British Isles including the Republic of Ireland. It is still only small but one day it may compliment larger cultural festivals like Diwali and Chinese New Year.

The Queen's Birthday Honours will of course be announced on Monday but the Queen has no say in who is awarded them. The weekend is clearly no longer about New Zealand's links to the British Monarch. It is simply a marker of winter in the southern hemisphere.

It seems likely that once New Zealand achieves its own head of state, Queen's birthday weekend will be replaced or renamed as an event. The two leading contenders for a winter weekend or public holiday are Matariki and the Winter Solstice (on June 22nd). This might hinder the marketing of Queen's Wharf but it is unlikely to put a dent in Waterfront Auckland's plans to promote it self as a leading venue for civic events.

What happens to Queen's Birthday is not central to the issue of having an independent head of state but it is one of the smaller decisions to be made as we make the transition. Whatever happens it is hard to imagine New Zealanders giving up the chance for a long weekend. It may be that events in Auckland will grow and spread in popularity and that the first Sunday in June will simply transform itself into larger celebration of our European heritage.

If Matariki becomes a public holiday it may well add one more to the annual calender. If it Either development would be yet another reason to celebrate life in New Zealand.

Harre supports Head of State reform

Newly appointed Internet Party leader Laila Harré supports having a New Zealand head of State. She argued in favour of reform on TV3's The Vote last year. You can watch the entire programme online here or read the transcript here.

In Part Two of the programme she made it clear " this debate isn’t about how we feel about the Royals, or any particular Royal, it’s about how we feel about ourselves as New Zealanders"

Support for change exists across the political spectrum and it is heartening to see yet another party leader looking to make the change. Laila Harré is not in parliament yet but her willingness to address the issue and articulate the core issues marks her out as someone willing to work with any person who shares a commitment to improving our Head of State.

New Zealand Republic is not aligned with any political party and we are actively working to ensure all political parties have a clear policy on New Zealand's highest public office. A New Zealand Head of State needs to symbolise and represent the interests of all New Zealanders regardless of who they are, whether they vote and who they vote for.

Post visit and the debate continues

The royal visit has come and gone and, as expected, it increased discussion as to how best reform our head of state. 

While the carefully choreographed visit led to an outbreak of royal hyperbole from some it is unlikely to have had much effect on how people address the far more important question of democratic reform.  Royal celebrity and the personal popularity of any one person is not really what the debate is all about. It is about the principles and practices underlying New Zealand's highest public office.   

Kim Gillespie Editor of the Rotorua Daily Post made his views clear with his succinct editorial Time for a Kiwi Head of State. Herald Deputy Editor John Roughan reiterated his ongoing support for royal celebrity while Gordon Raynor , writing in The Telegraph, pointed to just how carefully arranged the royal appearances are in his article Why Duchess wore red in Wellington. 

Police dog puppies may have the cute factor, America's Cup yachts might look impressive but we need a head of state who lives in New Zealand and who isn't concerned about always looking good in photographs. The role is more important than being popular and being seen in all the right places. If anything it is about casting aside the trappings of celebrity and glamour and remaining connected with all New Zealanders regardless of their lifestyle or income level.

Our campaign carries on irrespective of who is visiting New Zealand.  Help us make it happen. Be part of creating a new era in New Zealand democracy.  Be part of creating a New Zealand republic.

Anzac Day: Remembering the fallen

Anzac Day is for remembering those who died in the service of their country. It is for honouring and remembering the suffering of those who have endured the misery of war.

From April 25th 1915 onward, a terrible trauma spread across Aotearoa. Suffering and grief was felt in every corner of New Zealand as family after family realised they would never see their loved ones again.  Throughout the nation the true horror of war became fully evident. 

There are many reasons why the men went to fight at Gallipoli and in all the wars and battles since. They did it for 'God, King and country', they did it for for the empire. They went with a sense of duty , they longed for adventure. Some went because they were fighting for "freedom and democracy". Many simply went because it was expected of them. Some went because they lacked the courage to say no. 

Regardless of why any person went to war, it is not for us to judge what their personal motivations were.  

Today is simply a day to acknowledge that irrespective of why they went to war they paid for it with their life.  They went and they never came back. 

Today is a day to remember  We do not forget those who died and we honour and remember all of those who suffered because of war.