[7] The organisation was formed in March 1994 and incorporated in February 1995, following National Party Prime Minister Jim Bolger's call for New Zealand to become a republic.

It participated in the Building the Constitution conference held in 2000, putting forward three recommendations: greater civics education, considering republicanism as an option and continued facilitation of the republic debate.

The group attracted controversy[9] in 2008 by expressing disappointment that no member of the Royal Family attended the state funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary.

[11] In October 2008, one week before the general election, the group released the results of an online poll held through a website named "The President of New Zealand".

Dean Knight, senior Victoria University of Wellington law lecturer and New Zealand Republic's constitutional advisor, put forward a so-called "soft-republic".

[21] In response to the Bill passing its first reading, the group launched a "citizens process" for selecting the next Governor-General.