We can't go to a republic as our nation is built upon the Treaty of Waitangi, which was signed between England and a whole lot of Maori chiefs (who ended up being suckered). If we said fuck the commonwealth then that would make the treaty null and void...that ain't a good thing because without the treaty race relations would definitely get a shitload worse in this country.

As for bowing down to the Queen and all your other bullshit...fuck you man, true kiwis don't bow to anyone or anything...it's why the (Sir) Edmund Hilary conquered Everest, why we kick ass at sailing around the world, why it was a kiwi who first broke the 4 minute mile, and why it was a kiwi that split the atom.

Finally, we're moving a way slowly, but things take time...you can't be knighted in this country anymore, the highest honour is the New Zealand Order of Merit, and if you get there the company you'll keep is pretty awe-inspiring.