Auckland woman fighting for North Shore to become independent from NZ

Aucklander Miriam Clements wants a national referendum on whether the North Shore should become independent from New Zealand.

Clements, a member of the Logic Party and who ran for North Shore MP in last year's election, believes the North Shore should have its own Reserve Bank and be completely independent from the rest of the country.

She also thinks the area should have its own currency.

Clements has asked a clerk of Parliament and the Governor-General for permission to hold a non-binding referendum on the matter.

Clements, a legal strategist, said she envisaged it working along the same lines as Monaco.

"There are really successful functioning cities around the world," she told Newstalk ZB's Larry Williams.

She wanted the city to be governed by its own two Prime Ministers and also envisaged a new airport at Whenuapai, so said residents may need a North Shore passport.

Clements wants the referendum to ask New Zealanders: "Should the North Shore establish as an independent city-state to demonstrate a new economic model at the heart of New Zealand?"

She believed the Government was not providing enough money to run the city properly.

"If you would prefer your Reserve Bank extend adequate money supplies so that we have hospitals funded and underground carparks built and overpasses and the money we need to clean up the beach," she said.

If her request for a non-binding referendum is granted, she will need to collect 400,000 signatures within a year, and the referendum would then be presented to Parliament.

Clements also has a High Court judicial review proceeding against the Government for its use of 1080, which she calls a "chemical weapon". She also believes 1080 could be responsible for Mycoplasma bovis disease, affecting New Zealand cattle.