2 days Ago By Ben McKay
One of New Zealand's largest-ever protest movements has concluded in Wellington, where tens of thousands of Kiwis took to the streets to oppose a government bill to re-define the Treaty of Waitangi in law. Login or signup to continue reading The 'hikoi mo te Tiriti' began at the northernmost tip of New Zealand 10 days ago with a few hundred in attendance. After 10 days of rallies across the country, on Tuesday, police estimated more than 35,000 walked through Wellington to fill the lawns and streets outside parliament in a national show of defiance to the Treaty Principles Bill.
The crowd was so vast, many were unable to see or hear speakers. Even more signed a petition calling on Chris Luxon's government to scrap the bill, with more than 200,000 names handed over to opposition MPs at the conclusion of the hikoi, or march. "We've got a message for this government: Kill the bill.
Kill the bill," Maori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi told the crowd, who joined him in the chant. The hikoi followed a now-infamous haka inside parliament last week led by Maori Party MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who ripped up the proposed law. Those videos and images have been seen by millions worldwide.
The bill is a proposal by the ACT party, one of three government parties, which would reinterpret how the Treaty of Waitangi has been implemented by parliament and the courts. ACT leader David Seymour says this is essential in a modern New Zealand to ensure equal rights for all citizens. Opponents of the bill say it strips Maori of their central place in their homeland.
While some polls point to strong support for the bill, no other parties in parliament - including ACT's coalition partners National and NZ First - support it. The bill has only reached parliament after a concessions from Mr Luxon in government formation talks last year that his party would support its tabling and the public consultation process that will follow. As a huge opposition rallied outside, Mr Luxon was forced to defend that decision in question time on Tuesday.
"We came to a compromise ...
in forming a coalition government," he said. "We agree on many, many things between the three parties in this coalition government. We don't agree on this.
We came to a compromise. We're not supporting it beyond first reading. It won't become law.
" Despite not supporting the bill, it is a huge political problem for Mr Luxon, who stands accused of fuelling disunity by supporting the divisive law to this stage. In contrast, Mr Seymour appears to be revelling in the moment, as he attempting to swell his minor party's support base by championing the cause. Mr Seymour met with Maori representatives and stood outside parliament to face the hikoi, but Mr Luxon did not.
The crowd carried traditional Maori flags, sang chants and Maori songs, or waiata, and heard from firebrand speakers over tinny loudspeakers that were ill-equipped for the moment. Moana Maniapoto, a veteran activist and broadcaster, said she was in awe of the rally's size. "I've been on a lot of rallies & marches over the years since '81," she posted on social media.
"It was the biggest, most unified & positive one ever - and the biggest change was the number of non-Maori stepping up." There were no reports of disobedience, though widespread disruption to Wellington traffic across the day. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team.
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