Queen St protest becomes mouthpiece for the masses

The haunting sound of a conch and shouts of the haka heralded the arrival of thousands of anti-Super City marchers into Queen St yesterday.

From the elderly to the very young, they shuffled along in the rain, shouting their slogans and holding their placards. But there was something about this hikoi that was different - its multi-cultural look.

Most marched for Maori seats to be included in the Government's Super City plan for Auckland.

But other groups jumped on the bandwagon to promote their issues - ranging from general protest against the Super City to highlighting workers' rights.

"It's been absolutely beautiful. It's an opportunity for everybody to have a say," veteran Maori warden Hine Grindlay said.

Office workers hung out of windows as the tide of protesters swept past them. Bystanders on Queen St snapped pictures and were serenaded with chants such as, "E ki [Hey] John Key, don't delete the Maori seats."

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide's turn on Dancing with the Stars came in for ribbing from protester Rex Hemi, who'd travelled north with a busload from Rotorua.

His placard asked Mr Hide not to "drop" Maori seats on their heads - a reference to the minister's faux pas when his dancing partner slipped from his grasp.

Mr Hemi said denying Maori seats in Auckland would mean they would be doubly hard to get anywhere else in the country.

"Well, we're all Maori and what's happening here is going to happen in Tauranga, Rotorua, everywhere."

A hikoi wouldn't be a hikoi without a touch of the theatrical.

One of those moments came as 300 marchers who had started from the Auckland Domain converged with thousands from Bastion Pt, Waitakere and North Shore at the bottom of Queen St, to the sound of the putatara - a conch - ringing out.

Tere Davis, 32, who came in from Waitakere, said watching others move forward to greet marchers armed with taiaha sent tingles down his spine.

"This is awesome."

Former Maori affairs minister Parekura Horomia marched in jeans. The target of anger in 2004 during the foreshore and seabed hikoi said it was "wonderful" to be part of the protest action this time around. "This could be a huge turning point in our history if the Government is bold enough to recognise representation."

Caroline Conroy, a Papakura District councillor, marched with a large contingent of Pukekohe ratepayers.

"We came in on the train with half the town, I think."

Maori seats shouldn't be a big deal in the 21st century, Ms Conroy said.

"We're a bicultural land. This is about supporting each other."