Republic NZ’s Peter Hamilton has long believed New Zealand is ready to have a Kiwi as the head of state.

King Charles is set to leave Australia and head to the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa - bypassing New Zealand in his first tour since taking the throne.

Hamilton says it makes more sense for New Zealand's head of state to live among New Zealanders. 

"The whole business of having a foreigner as our head of state - Australia, Canada, New Zealand and a few other countries - it's just overloading the system and the British monarch can't take the role that's required in this modern day and age."  

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