Governor-General more expensive
Thursday, 20 May 2010, 5:52 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Republican Movement
Governor-General more expensive
"The 2010 Budget
has revealed the true cost to the taxpayer of the Queen's
representative, totally refuting the claim that the monarchy
costs New Zealanders very little" said Lewis Holden, chair
of the Republican Movement.
The New Zealand taxpayer now
spends $7.6m per year on the office of Governor-General. By
way of contrast, the 2010 Irish budget shows the President
of Ireland costs $6m per year.
Ireland has a similar
population size to New Zealand, and the Irish President
travels just as much as our Governor-General. The Irish
President is also constitutionally empowered to act as a
check on the prime minister and cabinet, is democratically
elected and is always regarded as Ireland's head of state
when she travels overseas.
"Our Governor-General does
and is none of these things yet costs taxpayers more, only
causing confusion overseas, and is constitutionally hog-tied
even in times of crisis. It's time taxpayers got value for
money and we created a New Zealand-made head of state"
concluded Mr Holden.
The Irish Budget 2010 shows the
"President's Establishment" is 3.4m Euros, about $6.04 at
today's exchange rate. See:
http://www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2010/Documents/whitepaper2010.pdf
A
full break-down of the costs can be found at
http://www.republic.org.nz/node/1360
ENDS
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