New Zealand will not be pursuing any moves towards becoming a republic following the Queen’s death, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.
Ms Ardern said she thought New Zealand would eventually remove the British morning as head of state, and it would probably happen within her lifetime, but there were more pressing issues for the country.
Her comments represent the first time she has spoken about the New Zealand republic debate since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Under the current system, the British monarch remains New Zealand’s head of state, represented in New Zealand by a governor-general.
“There’s been a debate, probably for a number of years,” Ms Ardern said. “It’s just the pace, and how widely that debate is occurring. I’ve made my view plain many times. I do believe that is where New Zealand will head, in time. I believe it is likely to occur in my lifetime.
“But I don’t see it as a short-term measure or anything that is on the agenda any time soon,” she said.
She said that becoming a republic was not something her government planned to discuss at any point.
“As I say, in large part actually because I've never sensed the urgency,” Ms Ardern said.
“There are so many challenges we face. This is a large, significant debate. I don't think it's one that would or should occur quickly.”
Many people in New Zealand have speculated in the past that the republic debate would gather momentum only after the death of Elizabeth, given how beloved she was by so many.
Ms Ardern said she did not link the two events: “I've never attached it in that way,” she said.
The Prime Minister also announced on Monday that New Zealand would mark the death of Elizabeth with a public holiday on September 26. The nation will also hold a state memorial service on the same day in the capital, Wellington.
Ms Ardern said the Queen was an extraordinary person and many New Zealanders would appreciate the opportunity to mark her death and celebrate her life.
“As New Zealand's queen and much-loved sovereign for over 70 years, it is appropriate that we mark her life of dedicated public service with a state memorial service and a one-off public holiday,” Ms Ardern said.
Ms Ardern said she would be leaving this week for the UK to attend the Queen’s funeral on Monday, September 19.
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