Tens of thousands of New Zealanders gathered in front of Parliament on Tuesday in one of the country’s largest protests to date, opposing a controversial bill that critics argue undermines Maori rights and could harm race relations for generations.
An estimated 42,000 protesters, according to police, assembled at Parliament to challenge the Treaty Principles Bill, introduced earlier this month. The bill aims to reinterpret the 184-year-old Treaty of Waitangi, signed between the British Crown and Indigenous Maori. Proponents, particularly the libertarian ACT New Zealand party, claim the current interpretation unfairly favors Maori over non-Indigenous citizens. ACT, a junior member of the ruling center-right coalition, seeks a narrower approach to the treaty.
While the bill lacks sufficient support to become law, critics view it as a significant threat to longstanding policies designed to uplift Maori communities, who represent about 20% of New Zealand’s 5.3 million people and face higher rates of deprivation, incarceration, and poorer health outcomes compared to the general population.
“I’m here for my grandchildren, my children, and their children,” said Hoana Hadfield from Wellington, who was participating in her first protest. “Our values and cultural identity as Maori must be protected.”
The diverse crowd included people dressed in traditional Maori attire, adorned with feathered headgear and cloaks, carrying cultural weapons, and waving the Maori national flag. Many wore t-shirts reading “Toitu te Tiriti” (Honor the Treaty). The demonstration followed a nine-day march, or hikoi, from the country’s far north, with thousands joining along the way to Wellington.
Speakers at the rally emphasized unity and solidarity. Helmut Modlik, a leader from the Ngati Toa tribe, declared, “To those who will divide us, it is too late. We are already one people,” drawing cheers from the gathered crowd.
The Treaty of Waitangi, first signed in 1840, continues to influence legislation and policy, with past rulings and a Maori tribunal expanding Indigenous rights. Despite ACT’s push, its coalition partners—the National Party and New Zealand First—only supported the bill’s initial reading but pledged not to back it further.
ACT leader David Seymour briefly faced the crowd on Parliament’s forecourt as thousands chanted “Kill the bill” and performed a powerful haka, a traditional Maori war dance. A petition opposing the bill, signed by 203,653 people, was presented to Parliament.
Abby Collier, who traveled six hours from Tairawhiti to join the protest, underscored the importance of unity. “We are coming from across the country, showing our children we can make a positive impact through kindness,” she said.
Source: Reuters
