The introduction of Keith Locke’s Head of State Referenda Bill to Parliament on April 21 was a farce, with the National Party whipping its members, many of whom are republicans, to vote against it. All the hoary old arguments and false fears were raised, including Maori losing their special relationship with the ‘British Crown’, when all ties have long since reverted to New Zealand.
I seem to have heard Prime Minister John Key’s excuse of there being more important things to consider, all my life. That statement itself seems also to diminish the importance of the monarchy. Meantime we have to continue pretending that a foreign woman, half a world away, whom we can’t even rely upon to support our foreign policies, is our head of state, when in reality it’s a lie.
Time passes and the queen is now very old. Are we sure we want Prince Charles to be our head of state, because that’s what will happen on her death. We need to prepared.
Murray Eggers
Paraparaumu