Realm of New Zealand

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Map of the Realm of New Zealand.
Map of the Realm of New Zealand.
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The Realm of New Zealand is the territory in which the Queen in right of New Zealand is head of state. The Realm comprises the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Tokelau and New Zealand's Ross Dependency in Antarctica. The term "Realm of New Zealand" is described in letters patent of 1983 constituting the office of Governor-General of New Zealand, in article I.

Contents

[edit] Governor-General

Main article: Monarchy in New Zealand, Governor-General, and Governor-General of New Zealand

Since Queen Elizabeth II is resident in the United Kingdom she is represented in the Realm by a Governor-General. Governors-General take on all the dignities and reserve powers of the Queen. As of 2006 the Governor-General of New Zealand is Anand Satyanand.

[edit] Sovereignty within the Realm

The Realm itself is a collection of former British colonies and protectorates. New Zealand was a British colony formed in 1840 and became a dominion in 1907, and gained legal independence with the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947. The Cook Islands and Niue were former British protectorates which were transferred to New Zealand administration in the early twentieth century. The Ross Dependency was put under New Zealand administration in 1923, and Tokelau was transferred to New Zealand from the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony in 1925.

[edit] Cook Islands and Niue

Both the Cook Islands and Niue are said to be self-governing in free association with New Zealand. The New Zealand Parliament is not empowered to unilaterally pass legislation in respect of these countries. In foreign affairs and defence issues New Zealand acts on behalf of these countries but only with their advice and consent.

As the Governor-General is resident in New Zealand, the Cook Islands Constitution provides for the distinct position of Queen's Representative. This individual is not subordinate to the Governor-General and acts as the local representative of the Queen in right of New Zealand. As of 2005 Sir Frederick Goodwin is the Queen's Representative to the Cook Islands.

According to the Niue's Constitution of 1974, the Governor-General of New Zealand acts as the Queen's representative.

In the Cook Islands and Niue the New Zealand High Commissioner is the diplomatic representative from New Zealand. As of 2005, John Bryan is the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands and Anton Ojala is the New Zealand High Commissioner to Niue.

Despite their close relationship to New Zealand, both the Cook Islands and Niue maintain some diplomatic relations in their own name. Both countries maintain High Commissions in New Zealand and have New Zealand High Commissioners resident in their capitals. In Commonwealth practice, High Commissioners represent their governments, not the Head of State.

[edit] New Zealand

New Zealand proper consists of the following island groups:

[edit] Tokelau

Tokelau has a lesser degree of de jure independence than the Cook Islands and Niue have, and had been moving toward free association status. New Zealand's representative in Tokelau is the Administrator of Tokelau and has the power to overturn rules passed by the general fono.

[edit] Ross Dependency

New Zealand's claim to the Ross Dependency is held in abeyance, per the Antarctic Treaty System. The Governor-General of New Zealand, however, is also the Governor of the Ross Dependency. MFAT Speech of 23-Apr-02, Antarctic Conference The Ross Dependency claim includes McMurdo Station, operated by the United States.

[edit] Summary

Area Representative of the Queen Head of the Government Legislature Capital Population
New Zealand Governor-General Prime Minister House of Representatives Wellington 4,107,883
Cook Islands Queen's Representative Prime Minister Parliament of the Cook Islands Avarua 21,388
Niue Representative of the Queen (the Governor-General of New Zealand) Premier Niue Assembly Alofi 2,145
Tokelau Administrator Ulu-o-Tokelau (Head of the Council of Ongoing Government) General Fono None 1,405
Ross Dependency Governor Chief Executive None Scott Base Scott Base: 10–80;
McMurdo Station: 200–1000 (seasonally)

[edit] Future of the Realm

Within New Zealand there exists some support[1][2] for a New Zealand republic. Should New Zealand become a republic, the Realm of New Zealand would continue to exist without New Zealand, the Ross Dependency and Tokelau[3]. This would not be a legal hurdle to a New Zealand republic as such, and both the Cook Islands and Niue would retain their status as associated states with New Zealand, as New Zealand shares its Head of state with the Cook Islands and Niue in the same way the United Kingdom shares its Head of state with the other Commonwealth Realms. However, a New Zealand republic would present the issue of independence to the Cook Islands and Niue. Thus, a number of options for the future of the Realm of New Zealand exist:

  • A New Zealand republic with the Cook Islands and Niue remaining in free association with New Zealand, but retaining the Queen of New Zealand as their head of state;
  • A New Zealand republic with the Cook Islands and Niue having a new republican head of state as their head of state;
  • A New Zealand republic with the Cook Islands and Niue having their own heads of state, but retaining their status of free association with New Zealand.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ A July 2005 poll published in The Press showed 27% support for the question "Do you support New Zealand becoming a republic?", and 67% opposition.
  2. ^ A Sunday Star-Times poll, published 20 January 2006, stated there was 47% support for a New Zealand republic, and 47% support for the monarchy.
  3. ^ The Strange Death of the Realm of New Zealand: The Implications of a New Zealand Republic for the Cook Islands and Niue by Andrew Townend (2003) VUWLRev 34. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
v • d • e
Realm of New Zealand
v • d • e
Administrative divisions of New Zealand
Supranational level Realm of New Zealand
National level New Zealand Tokelau Cook Islands Niue   Ross Dependency
Regions 12 non-unitary regions 4 unitary regions Chatham Islands   Kermadec Islands sub-Antarctic islands
Territorial authorities 16 cities and 57 districts
Notes Some districts lie in more than one region These combine the regional and the territorial authority levels in one Special territorial authority Areas outside regional authority; these, plus the Chatham Islands and the Solander Islands, form the New Zealand Outlying Islands State administered by New Zealand States in free association with New Zealand Claimed by New Zealand, but claim frozen by the Antarctic Treaty
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realm_of_New_Zealand"
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