Jacinda Ardern is shaping up as a change candidate. And she backed that up yesterday by telling the Herald that she wanted to push for a republic:
Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says it's time New Zealand started having the conversation about New Zealand becoming a republic.
"I do think that we should start having the conversation. There are a lot of issues that need to be resolved on that path, and I would have liked the government to have had that conversation when the flag debate came up," Ardern said during a special PM Job Interview with the Herald today.
"That was the time to say, 'actually, where are we heading? What's the Crown's ongoing relationship with Maori if we transition into a republic? Where will we be in 20 years' time in this regard.'"
The previous generation of politicians always said that a republic was "inevitable", but were never willing to do anything to bring it about. Ardern at least recognises that if we want a republic, we need to actually make it happen. And I'm looking forward to her doing it.
