Politics

Royal visit sparks republic debate

13:44 pm on 13 April 2014

The visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has sparked renewed debate about whether New Zealand should continue to keep a foreign monarch as its Head of State.

Prime Minister John Key, despite campaigning to change the flag, remains a royalist and does not believe the country will become a republic any time soon.

But United Future leader Peter Dunne supports constitutional change saying a recent poll showed that younger New Zealanders in particular feel New Zealand should be a republic.

"Even die-hard opponents say 'well it's inevitable one day' so it's going to happen. I just think we should be accelerating the course."