ɪn ɹᵻspˈɑːns, ðə ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən mˈuːvmənt ˈɑːɹɡjuːd ðæt ɹᵻmˈuːvɪŋ ɹˈɛfɹənsᵻz tə ðə kwˈiːn wʌz nˈɑːt "ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkənˌɪzəm baɪ stˈɛlθ" bˌʌt sˈɪmpli ɹᵻflˈɛktᵻd ðə kəntˈɛmpɚɹˌɛɹi vˈæljuːz ʌv nˈuː zˈiːləndɚz.
In response, the Republican Movement argued that removing references to the Queen was not "republicanism by stealth" but simply reflected the contemporary values of New Zealanders.