Wellington - New Zealand Prime Minister John Key rejected Monday a call by one of his government ministers for a referendum on ditching Queen Elizabeth as head of state and turning the country into a republic.
"My view is that New Zealand is likely one day to become a republic, but it's unlikely to occur under my watch," Key, whose conservative National Party was elected in November for a three-year term, told a news conference.
He said the country faced a number of challenges ahead "and becoming a republic is just not a high priority for me."