ðə mˈɑːnɚkˌɪst lˈiːɡ kˈɔːld ðə tʃˈeɪndʒ "ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkənˌɪzəm baɪ stˈɛlθ" ænd kˈɑːmɛntᵻd ðˈæt "ɐ dˌɛklɚɹˈeɪʃən ʌv ɐlˈiːdʒəns tə nˈuː zˈiːlənd, ɔːɹ tə ðə pɹˈaɪm mˈɪnɪstɚ, wʊd biː ɐ pˈʊɹ sˈʌbstɪtˌuːt fɚðə kwˈiːn".
The Monarchist League called the change "republicanism by stealth" and commented that "[a] declaration of allegiance to New Zealand, or to the Prime Minister, would be a poor substitute [for the Queen]".