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DERMOT MURNAGHAN: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will arrive in Wellington initially tomorrow, in New Zealand, for the beginning of a three week official visit to New Zealand and then they go to Australia so will the trip dampen the republican sentiment there and bolster support for the Commonwealth? 

I want to bring in Sir Lockwood Smith, the New Zealand High Commissioner, there must be similar sentiments in New Zealand as well, you’re welcome here but in reality in the 21st century you’re thousands of miles away from us. 

SIR LOCKWOOD SMITH: Well I think in New Zealand it is quite the opposite.  The government way back in the early 2000s got rid of knights and dames if you like and the current government brought them back in in 2009 and what is fascinating is New Zealanders love it. Those who got high honours in periods when there weren’t the titles actually had the opportunity to have the titles conferred on them and about 80-90% of them chose to have the titles conferred on them so that sentiment just doesn’t exist in New Zealand. 

DM: Well you’ve got one, of course, but talking David Morris there, this issue in New Zealand about the flag, having the union flag in the corner of your flag, now that is something that’s worth talking about isn’t it because your Prime Minster has said there will be a referendum on that issue.

SIR LOCKWOOD SMITH: I think that’s a bit different from the fact that we have a constitutional monarchy.  The constitutional monarchy serves New Zealand well, I was a speaker of the Parliament, I’ve studied this quite carefully and it’s my conclusion that it serves New Zealand incredibly well.  The flag is a bit of a different issue.  During the Rugby World Cup in 2011, so many Kiwis flew the black flag with the silver fern on it, it was on every car, every building and I think during the Olympics, so during the World Cup here and the Olympics, the black flag was flying around London here and so Kiwis are quite attached to that black flag.  Air New Zealand’s latest aeroplane, the new Dreamliner, the stretch Dreamliner, is black with the silver fern on it but that’s different from the fact that we are part of the realm. 

DM: It’s a strong argument, don’t you need a head of state that lives in your own country, that’s on your own soil?    

SIR LOCKWOOD SMITH: We’ve no issue about our identity.  New Zealand has a very powerful identity and we’re not troubled by that.  We still value our linkages to the UK but we don’t see ourselves in any way a colony, not even remotely.  We are totally integrated in the Asia-Pacific region, China is now our biggest trading partner, New Zealand has economic linkages across the Asia-Pacific region, the only country in the world to have a free trade agreement with China, a trade agreement with Hong Kong and a separate one with Chinese Taipei so we have no problem with our identity. 

DM: Okay, but wouldn’t you like to have, I mean it’s interesting that we’ve got a state visit for the first time ever from the Irish President here in the UK as I know you are well aware, wouldn’t it be even better to have a relationship like that and the Irish had a much more traumatic experience within the UK of course didn’t they but nevertheless they have got great relations, absolutely solid relations but are independent countries.

SIR LOCKWOOD SMITH: I think it’s great and it’s great to see the state visit by the President of Ireland, I am also Ambassador to Ireland while I’m here and that’s great but who knows what might happen in New Zealand in the next hundred years but at the moment I don't think there is any feeling that we need to make a change.  We’re strong enough in our identity as a nation, we’re not troubled like that, the constitutional monarchy works well for us, there is a great love of Her Majesty in New Zealand.  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William has been down there on a couple of occasions, he’s a star in New Zealand, he spoke so well at the big commemoration service following the Christchurch earthquake and I know the Duchess of Cambridge has wanted to visit New Zealand, she has just been looking forward to it for so long. 

DM: And I think you’re going to get a new star as well, one that can’t speak yet but I think Prince George might get a few extra New Zealand fans as well.  We’ve got to end it there, Sir Lockwood Smith thank you very much indeed.