Parliament meets for a Motion to mark the death of the Queen. Video / Supplied
MPs from across the house paid tribute to the late Queen in a special sitting of Parliament today, as the Government advanced plans for its delegation to attend her funeral.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led the tributes by speaking directly to King Charles III.
"We the members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand offer our heartfelt sympathy on the loss of your beloved mother, our sovereign, the Queen of New Zealand," Ardern said.
Ardern said the Queen "became a touchstone, a constant, an anchor in a sea of change".
She shared some of the memories of speaking with the Queen, whom she found "warm" and "easy to talk with".
The Queen took an interest in calling prime ministers during the pandemic to see how they were coping.
Ardern said the Queen asked how Anzac Day commemorations would proceed during lockdown.
"We all stood at the end of our driveways, Your Majesty, in the dark. Some played the radio and you could hear the Last Post while we stood there silently, next to our neighbours," Ardern told the Queen, who paused for what Ardern said was "a long moment".
"Well, that sounds rather moving," replied the Queen.
National leader Christopher Luxon rose to speak, noting his new role was as the leader of "His" Majesty's loyal opposition. He said the new pronoun, replacing "his" for "her" still felt unusual.
Luxon said one of his earliest memories was of his mother and brother waving plastic flags as the Queen drove to open the Commonwealth Games.
"Upon reflection, we can all see it was a life incredibly well lived. The Queen lived her life with a real mission and purpose. She showed great determination, tremendous care and compassion to the people," Luxon said.
Parliament was due to have a regular three-day sitting this week, but will adjourn for the rest of a week after a short debate today.
Ardern also confirmed the New Zealanders attending the funeral in London. Ardern herself will leave for London on Wednesday morning.
Queen Elizabeth II greets Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Getty Images
Other New Zealanders attending are: the Māori King, Kiingi Tūheitia, former Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, Victoria Cross for New Zealand recipient Willie Apiata, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Sir Don McKinnon, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jacinda Amey, Sir Tipene O'Regan, Aivale Cole, Whaea Esther Jessop and Jacqueline Gilbert.
Act leader David Seymour offered King Charles his "sincere condolences" for the loss of the Queen.
Seymour said the Queen's vision of the Commonwealth was one of equality.
Seymour said it would be "tempting" to make political points from the throne, but he was sure King Charles would resist the temptation.
Luxon, Ardern and Davidson stayed away from controversial political issues - with Ardern only gesturing to issues of colonialism with her remarks about the Queen's role as a moderniser.
Ardern said the Queen's "consistency did not come at the cost of New Zealand evolving as a nation".
But other leaders addressed the role of the monarchy more directly.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson sent her "condolences to the Queen's family".
Davidson said there was a tikanga to respect after the Queen's death, respecting the fact that the royal family was grieving.
However, Davidson said that "we cannot ignore" the colonialist repression that was "very real and continuing" and she would "not deny" those sentiments.
Greens co-leader Marama Davidson. Photo / Mark Mitchell.
Davidson noted the significance that Parliament being suspended for the Queen's death would mean that it would not host a special debate for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
Davidson further noted that work to stamp out the Māori language had been connected to the Queen's father.
"This legacy would have surely horrified the Queen," the Green Party co-leader said.
"The Queen is dead, our work lives on."
Act leader David Seymour. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi paid tribute to the anger felt by some against the royal family.
He also said the tikanga [protocols] around a death were important. This tikanga was that the dead be mourned.
"The righteous anger of indigenous peoples all over the world. I take those stories as stories I carry with me," Waititi said.
"There is a tikanga that says we mourn the dead," Waititi said. "Our tikanga is clear we must give people time to mourn their losses.
"In all religions there is a saying that we will kneel before the ultimate king and confess our sins.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. Photo / George Novak
"Her job now is to relinquish her sins, her job now is to repent, her job now is to let go and relieve herself of all of the mana that was left of her in the physical world," Waititi said in te reo Māori.
