Keith Locke

Wellington, March 1 NZPA - Green MP Keith Locke remains confident his bill to initiate debate about having an elected head of state will pass its first reading, despite Prime Minister John Key saying his party is opposed.

Mr Locke drafted the member's bill, which is on Parliament's agenda for a first reading.

He had hoped it would get through the first reading so it could be sent to a select committee for public discussions but, asked about it on TV One's Breakfast programme today, Mr Key said: "We're opposed."

Mr Locke told NZPA he understood Mr Key's view was that New Zealand would one day be a republic but that it would not be for a while.

"It is disappointing that if by that statement he means that he's opposed to it passing the first reading," he said.

"I'd really welcome him supporting the bill going through the first reading, have a proper discussion at the select committee and then, if he wishes to oppose it at the third reading, well fair enough, that's his decision."

Mr Locke was confident National would allow its MPs to cast a conscience vote and, on that basis, he believed it would progress to select committee stage.

"I don't accept his (Mr Key's) position `we're' opposed because there are some National members who support the bill and, at the end of the day, I'm sure they will vote the way they think," he said.

Members' bills have no chance of getting through a first reading without government support.

However, there will be a first reading debate and it will be the first time Parliament has discussed republicanism in that way.

Mr Key had previously said it was not on the Government's agenda.

Former prime minister Helen Clark had a similar attitude, saying that it would inevitably happen some day but her government wasn't pushing it.