Tens of thousands gathered outside New Zealand’s Parliament to protest a bill that opponents claim would undermine the rights of Maori people. Approximately 42,000 individuals took to the streets on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to reject the Treaty Principles Bill, recently introduced by the libertarian ACT New Zealand party. Although the legislation, put forth by the junior partner in the centre-right coalition government, does not have sufficient backing to pass, critics express concern that it could further polarize society.
They argue that the bill aims to undo decades of initiatives designed to empower Maori, who represent around 20 percent of the 5.3 million population but experience higher rates of deprivation, incarceration, and poorer health outcomes compared to the wider community.
The protest on Tuesday followed a nine-day hikoi—march in Maori—originating from the country’s far north, drawing thousands to join rallies in various towns and cities as participants made their way south to Wellington, both on foot and by car. Some attendees donned traditional attire, complete with feathered headgear and cloaks, while others displayed Maori weapons. Many wore T-shirts featuring the slogan “Toitu te Tiriti” (Honour the Treaty), and hundreds carried the Maori national flag.
The proposed legislation aims to reinterpret the 184-year-old Treaty of Waitangi, a document that grants Maori tribes significant rights to maintain their lands and safeguard their interests in exchange for ceding governance to the British. This document continues to influence legislation and policy today, with court rulings and a separate Maori tribunal progressively enhancing Maori rights and privileges over the years.
ACT’s coalition partners, the National Party and New Zealand First, agreed to support the bill during its first of three readings; however, both parties have stated they will not back it in order to become law. Critics, including former conservative Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, have warned that merely introducing the bill poses a threat to national unity. During the parliamentary vote on Thursday, Te Pati Maori party legislator Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke dramatically tore up a copy of the bill and led her colleagues in a traditional haka dance.
