Maori party calls for Queen Elizabeth II to be dropped as head of state of New Zealand

“If you look at our founding covenant as a marriage between 'tangata whenua’ [people of the land] and the Crown, then Te Tiriti [the country’s foundational document] is the child of that marriage,” Ngarewa-Packer said. “It’s time tangata whenua to take full custody of Te Tiriti o Waitangi from the Crown.”

“This won’t mean the Crown is off the hook. If a couple gets divorced, you don’t lose responsibility for your child," he added.

Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said: “the only way this nation can work is when Māori assert their rights to self-management, self-determination, and self-governance over all our domains.”

New Zealand Prime Minister’s Jacinda Ardern -- who has said the country should continue to acknowledge Queen Elizabeth II as a ceremonial figurehead, as one of 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations — paid tribute to in the queen on the 70-year anniversary of her accession.

“Since the Queen took the throne as a young woman of 25, she has dedicated her life to service. We thank her for her dedication and inspiration,” Ardern said, as reported by the Telegraph. “As Queen of New Zealand, she has always shown a deep personal interest in the life and well-being of our nation..”

The Maori Party, which holds two seats in Parliament, called Ardern’s tribute to Queen Elizabeth on Waitangi Day “an incredibly insensitive move.”

The royals’ domain over some Commonwealth countries has come under strain in recent years. Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, last March, in which they raised accusations of racism within the royal family, renewed debates about moving away from the Crown.

In November, Barbados officially became a republic, severing ties with Queen Elizabeth II and elevating pop star Rhianna to the status of “national hero,” in a ceremony with Prince Charles in attendance.

A poll published on Nov. 2021 by1News Colmar Brunton found that a third of New Zealanders thought the country should become a republic when Queen Elizabeth dies or abdicates, while 47% said its should not and 20% said they didn’t know or wouldn’t say.

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