MEDIA RELEASE: 18 January 2010

Members of the Republican Movement will today unfurl a banner outside the Supreme Court in Wellington clearly stating "It's time for a republic". Coinciding with Prince William's visit the demonstration will highlight that New Zealanders are more than able to choose a head of state of their own.

"Prince William might be a nice guy, but it should be a New Zealander, chosen by New Zealanders, opening our highest court of appeal" said Lewis Holden, chair of the Republican Movement.

"It has cost New Zealand taxpayers $200,000 to bring Prince William out to New Zealand. Monarchist claims that this figure has been paid off with free advertising are nonsense. Prince William had a gap year in Chile, giving that republic a lot of free publicity. The Queen visited Trinidad and Tobago last year, a republic within the Commonwealth, giving that country free press also" continued Mr Holden.

Parliament is set to vote on Keith Locke's Head of State Referenda Bill in March, giving New Zealanders a chance to choose who their head of state is. The Republican Movement urges all parties to support the Bill to select committee, so New Zealanders can debate their head of state for the first time.

"Opponents said the Supreme Court would be a disaster, and that New Zealand was too small to have our own highest court. Yet in the last six years the Supreme Court has shown the opponents to be very wrong. We suspect that will be the case with a republic" concluded Mr Holden.

ENDS

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