Global Courant 2023-05-01 15:12:07
WELLINGTON, New Zealand –
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday that he is personally in favor of his country becoming a republic, but it is not a change he wants to make as leader.
Hipkins made the comments to reporters hours before he was due to leave for King Charles III’s coronation in London this week.
New Zealand, a former British colony, governs itself, but Charles retains a largely ceremonial role as head of state and king. Charles is represented in New Zealand by a Governor General.
Like many former British colonies, New Zealand still struggles with what constitutional role, if any, the British monarchy should play in modern times.
Barbados chose to become a republic in 2021. Jamaica said last year it plans to pursue independence. And Australia decided in February to remove the British monarch from the last of its banknotes, though an image of Charles is expected to appear on coins.
“Ideally, New Zealand will become a fully independent country over time, stand on its own two feet in the world, as we largely do now,” Hipkins said. “However, I don’t think replacing the governor-general with another form of head of state is necessarily an urgent priority right now.”
Faced for election later this year, Hipkins has already abandoned many of his administration’s more controversial policies as he attempts to refocus the political agenda on what he describes as bread-and-butter issues, such as the cost of living.
Hipkins came to power unexpectedly following former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s shock decision to step down in January.
Ardern had previously said she believed New Zealand would eventually become a republic, but it was not a legislative priority. However, Hipkins expressed his own support for republicanism more forcefully than Ardern.
“I believe that ultimately we should be an independent country,” he said.
But he said the current constitutional arrangements worked well and he was not interested in pushing the republican debate onto New Zealanders.
“Honestly, I think it’s something for New Zealanders to spark a discussion about, and there’s not a tidal wave of support right now to have this particular debate,” Hipkins said.
Hipkins accidentally acknowledged that he had scheduled a meeting with Charles during the trip, but refused to say what they would discuss.
While in London, Hipkins also plans to meet with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to advance a free trade deal the two nations have struck in 2021.
