Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type = Lobby group
founded_date = March 1994
(Incorporated
17 February 1995)
founder =
location = NZL
origins =
key_people = Keri Hulme (Patron)
Lewis J Holden (Chair)
area_served =
product =
focus = New Zealand republicanism
method =
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
num_employees =
num_members =
subsid =
owner =
Non-profit_slogan =
homepage = [http://www.republic.org.nz/ www.republic.org.nz]
dissolved =
footnotes =

The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand is a non-partisan organization formed in 1994 whose object is to support the creation of a republic in New Zealand (for which Aotearoa is a Māori name). As of 2008 the Chair of the Movement is Lewis Holdencite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00305.htm|title=Press Release: New Republican Movement President|date=29 December 2006|accessdate=2007-07-23|author=Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand] . The Patron of the Movement is Keri Hulme, a New Zealand writer famous for her 1985 Booker Prize winning novel "The Bone People".

Aims and principles

The Movement's constitution specifies the following aims and principles:

* Involving all New Zealanders in the debate;
* Providing relevant and reliable information;
* Focusing on ideas, not personalities;
* Winning a referendum to establish the republic;Creating a republic does not require any change to the Treaty of Waitangi, Flag of New Zealand [This would not be unprecedented, as the Flag of Fiji still contains the Union Flag] or Commonwealth membership.cite web|url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/shared_asp_files/GFSR.asp?NodeID=174533|title=Extract from the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting: Final communiqué - Commonwealth Membership|publisher=Commonwealth of Nations|date=October 2007|accessdate=2008-09-13]

History

Foundation

The orgainisation was formed in March 1994 and incorporated in February 1995, following then National Prime Minister Jim Bolger's call for New Zealand to become a republic by the year 2000. The movement's membership was drawn from many political quarters (including journalist Jonathan Milne and New Zealand First MP Deborah Morris), and so the organisation was named the Republican Coalition of New Zealand.

The group was unrelated to the former Republican Association of New Zealand, although Bruce Jesson was a member of the movement until he passed away in 1999.

Some of the movement's members had been involved in the electoral reform referendum on whether to change the electoral system in 1993. In 1996, writer Keri Hulme became patron of the group.

Name change

The movement changed its name in 1999, coinciding with renewed interest in republicanism in New Zealand, and an unsuccessful Australian referendum on the same issue.

Head of state (Referenda) Bill

In 2001, Green Party MP Keith Locke put forward a members' Bill named the "Head of state (Referenda) Bill"cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=940393|title=Republic Bill near|accessdate=2007-09-19|publisher=New Zealand Herald|author=NZPA|date=21 February 2002] , which if drawn and passed would bring about a referendum on the question of whether New Zealand should become a republic, with three choices put to the New Zealand public:
* A republic with direct election of the head of State;
* A republic with indirect election of the head of State by a three-quarters majority Parliament; and
* The status quo.

If no model gains a majority, a second referendum will be held between the two highest-polling options. If one of the two republican options is supported by the New Zealand public, New Zealand will become a Parliamentary republic (as opposed to a presidential republic), with a head of state with similar powers to the Governor-General and serving for one five year term. In May 2007, the Republican Movement agreed to support the Bill to Select Committee stagecite web|url=http://www.republic.org.nz/node/122|title=Republic May 2007|publisher=Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand|month=May | year=2007|accessdate=2008-01-25] .

Recent events

In January 2008, the group also supported former Labour Prime Minister Mike Moore's call for his Constitutional Convention Bill to be resurrectedcite web|url=http://www.republic.org.nz/node/205|title=Republican Movement Welcomes Moore's Call for Convention|publisher=Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand|date=15 January 2008|accessdate=2008-02-04] , despite Keith Locke MP stating the convention would be "too broad" [cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=49&objectid=10486875|publisher=The New Zealand Herald|title=Government bemused by Moore's call to change constitution|author=NZPA|date=15 January 2008|accessdate=2008-02-04] . The Republican Movement made no comment regarding Keith Locke's views in this instance.

The group attracted controversycite web|title=|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|title=Royal 'snub' over Sir Edmund Hillary funeral|author=Paul Chapman|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/01/18/nhillary318.xml|date=18 January 2008|accessdate=2008-04-01] later that same month by expressing disappointment no member of the Royal Family attended the state funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary [cite web|url=http://www.republic.org.nz/node/207|title=Royal no-show for Sir Ed Hillary|publisher=Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand|date=18 January 2008|accessdate=2008-04-01] . Supporters of the monarchy noted the Queen only attends the state funerals of Prime Ministers and Governors-Generals.

In February 2008, the Movement suggested electing the Governor-General as an interim step to a republic, arguing "Electing the Governor-General allows for easier transition to a republic, because the populace is used to electing someone as a ceremonial de facto head of state."cite web|url=http://www.republic.org.nz/node/211|title=Republic newsletter|month=February | year=2008|accessdate=2008-05-05]

On 21 April 2008 the Movement released a poll of New Zealanders showing 43% support the monarchy should Prince Charles become King, and 41% support a republic under the same scenario.cite web|url=http://www.tv3.co.nz/OpiniondividedonNZbecomingrepublic/tabid/209/articleID/53205/cat/41/Default.aspx|title=Opinion divided on NZ becoming republic|publisher=TV3|date=21 April 2008|accessdate=2008-04-21]

National Council

The National Council of the Movement as of May 2007 is:
* Lewis Holden (Chair)
* David Farrar
* Dave Guerin (Treasurer)
* Savage (Common Cause liaison)
* Jordan Carter

Chair

* Savage (1994)
* Simon Sheppard (1994 - 1996)
* Dave Guerin (1996 - 2006)
* Lewis Holden (2006 - )

Until May 2007, the position of Chair was named President.

Affiliations

In April, 2005, the movement became a founding member of Common Cause, an alliance of Commonwealth republican movements. The RMANZ is not affiliated with any political party, and draws its membership from across the political spectrum.

ee also

* Republicanism in New Zealand
* Commonwealth republic
* Monarchy in New Zealand
* Monarchist League of New Zealand

References

External links

* [http://www.republic.org.nz/ The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand]