What you need to know about protests in New Zealand for Maori rights?

More than 35,000 people, including members of several Maori tribes across New Zealand, rallied outside the parliament in Wellington on Tuesday to the controversial Treaty Principles Bill that they believe could take away their rights

Some reports, including one by the New Zealand Post, citing the local police claim that the protest reached 42,500 participants, making it one of the largest demonstrations in decades.

The bill, introduced by the country’s centre-right government, seeks to amend the Treaty of Waitangi, one of New Zealand’s most significant documents. The Treaty, signed in 1840 between the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs, is regarded as the country’s founding document and plays a crucial role in shaping the nation’s laws and policies, particularly concerning Maori rights.

Currently, Maoris make up around 20 percent of New Zealand’s 5.3 million population, and they have long fought to safeguard the promises made in the Treaty.

The government’s proposal has sparked outrage, with Maori leaders claiming it risks dismantling hard-won protections and diminishing their cultural identity. The bill’s opponents argue that it would not only undermine Maori rights but also fuel division in the country.

The protest was part of a nine-day hikoi – a peaceful march that began in the country’s northern tip and concluded at the parliament.

As the marchers arrived in Wellington, they rallied with chants for unity and solidarity. Helmut Modlik, a leader of the Ngati Toa tribe, told the crowd: “It’s too late to divide the country”.

Many protesters showed up at the rally wearing traditional Māori attire, headgear and carried Maori weapons, while others sported t-shirts and held placards emblazoned with Toitu te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty). A number of people also waved the Maori national flag.

In response to the protests, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters reiterated his party’s opposition to the bill, calling it "fatally flawed." Prime Minister Christopher Luxon acknowledged the strong emotions on all sides but confirmed his party’s withdrawal of support for the bill.

He emphasised that rewriting 184 years of history couldn’t be achieved through a single decision, The Post reported.

The issue gained further attention last week, when a video of Maori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke went viral as she disrupted a parliamentary vote on this controversial bill by tearing up a document and performing a haka, a traditional dance.

So, what is this bill?

Te Tiriti o Waitangi, or the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840 to establish a framework for governance between the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs.

The document has been pivotal in guiding New Zealand’s legislation and policies related to Māori rights, with its principles woven into the country’s modern constitutional and legal framework.

The Treaty Principles Bill, introduced by David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party and Associate Justice Minister, seeks to narrow the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Seymour argues that the current interpretation creates a form of special treatment for Maori, which he believes discriminates against non-Indigenous New Zealanders.

The bill’s primary purpose is to define the Treaty’s principles more narrowly, which Seymour claims would provide clarity and certainty for New Zealanders while encouraging debate over the Treaty’s role in constitutional arrangements.

Seymour briefly addressed the rally, stating that the overwhelming turnout underscored the importance of public engagement in defining the Treaty’s meaning.

He stated that the opportunity now existed for the five million New Zealanders who went to work and school on Tuesday to engage in the Treaty principles debate he had initiated.

“If anything, it’s persuaded me that it’s even more important that so many people have the opportunity to get out and make submissions and talk about what the bill and therefore our Treaty, actually means to us,” he said in his five-minute address, according to The Post.

Despite initial support from the National Party and New Zealand First, both of the ACT Party’s coalition partners have since withdrawn their backing for the bill.

This is not the first time a bill to alter the Treaty’s interpretation has been introduced in the parliament. Back in 2006, the New Zealand First Party introduced the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Deletion Bill. While that bill failed – their argument was that the Treaty was “undermining race relations in New Zealand”.

However, ACT’s current bill does not seek to delete those principles, but rather to define and restrain them in law, potentially undoing decades of legislative work aimed at correcting historical wrongs against Maori communities.

A divisive debate

The Treaty Principles Bill has sparked a fierce national debate. Opponents argue that redefining the Treaty’s principles would dilute Maori rights and disrupt the ongoing reconciliation process between Maori and non-Maori communities.

They point to the historical context of the Treaty, which was breached for much of New Zealand’s history, leading to widespread land dispossession and social inequities that persist today.

For many Maori, the hikoi and subsequent protests are not just about opposing a bill, but about protecting the cultural heritage and rights that were nearly destroyed by colonisation.

The demonstrators’ chants and songs in Wellington were a powerful reminder of the resilience of the Maori people and their ongoing struggle for justice.

As the debate continues, New Zealand faces a critical moment in its journey toward reconciling with its Indigenous population and ensuring that the Treaty of Waitangi remains a cornerstone of the nation’s identity and future.