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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