Large Napier crowd protest government policies for Māori

Crowds of protestors turned up at the Sound Shell at Napier's Marine Parade on Saturday morning to protest coalition government policy relating to Māori language and culture. Photo / Neill Gordon

A large crowd of protesters in Napier on Saturday morning carried forward the kaupapa of nationwide protests earlier in the week against Government policies labelled “anti-Māori”.

Organisers say the demonstration, at the Sound Shell on Marine Parade and led by mana whenua, attracted about 1500 people.

Pānui (announcements) spread through social media about the protest referred back to a hīkoi in 2021 protesting Napier City Council’s decision to delay the possibility of Maōri wards.

Mana Ahuriri Trust chair Tania Eden spoke at the event and said in a statement that she had watched the National, Act and NZ First coalition Government “with the sweep of a pen strike out what we have been fighting for over 180 years”.

“The country’s new coalition Government, sworn in recently, has said it will review the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which upholds Māori rights, including the right to autonomy,” Eden said.

“For us, this is a modern-day confiscation of our treaty rights, hard-earned and fought for by our ancestors.

She cited the rollback of initiatives designed to improve Māori health outcomes, minimisation of Māori language for public services, the reversal of planned smokefree legislation and abolishing the Maori Health Authority Te Aka Whai Ora as some of the coalition’s policies that will harm Māori.

Mana Ahuriri Trust chair Tania Eden said in a statement that she had watched the coalition government “with the sweep of a pen strike out what we have been fighting for over 180 years”. Photo / Neill Gordon

“Continued breaches of Te Tiriti over the past 183 years have already created separate health and justice systems, as well as drastically different outcomes in wellbeing and economic security for Māori,” she said.

“We will not sit back and watch this govt erode the rights of our mokopuna for a better life. As chair of Mana Ahuriri, I will work hard to ensure we put in place a good future for our Mokopuna.”