Thousands will gather at the Waitangi Day dawn ceremony on Friday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Thousands will gather at the Waitangi Day dawn ceremony on Friday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
As a nation we have plenty to be proud of, and plenty to look forward to.
Our identity as a people has developed since Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed in 1840. The Aotearoa I know today is a proud collective of believers, we have each other’s backs, we worktogether to solve problems and we muck it out when we need to for our friends.
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins.
Our values aren’t abstract – we look after each other (manaakitanga), we seek unity as we look to the future (kotahitanga), and we look after the land we live on for future generations (kaitiakitanga). They are values that have quietly but powerfully shaped the way we understand community, fairness and responsibility to one another.
Our values set us apart from the rest of the world, they are a gift that help all of us live more connected, more compassionate, and more united lives.
We’ve seen those values in action over the past fortnight as recent severe weather events brought devastating loss and heartbreak to communities across the country. But in those hardest moments, we also saw something powerful: The true character of Aotearoa. We are strongest when we stand together.
Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Whakaue at 2025 Te Matatini Festival. Photo / Te Matatini Enterprises
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is not a relic of the past. It is a living document that challenges each generation to renew its commitment to fairness, partnership and mutual respect. Honouring the Treaty is not about division; it is about unity built on truth. It is about recognising that acknowledging Māori rights and aspirations, strengthens our democracy and enriches our shared identity.
As we prepare to celebrate Waitangi Day this election year, we need to remember what makes us us – and be proud of how far we have come because of Te Tiriti. Because of our shared values.
It’s that kind of Aotearoa – generous, confident and united – that I want my children to grow up in.
Today, I’m proud that my children can learn te reo Māori, sing waiata and better understand what makes our country unique. I wish I’d had those same opportunities growing up. I know we would be in a much better place if everyone did.
For a long time now, Māori have been clear about what they want: the chance to lead, to do the mahi themselves, and to shape solutions for their own communities. Listening to that aspiration and acting on it, is not just the right thing to do. It’s how we build trust and confidence in our shared future.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Waitangi National Trust Board chairman Pita Tipene greet with a hongi after being welcomed at Te Whare Runanga at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Photo / David Fisher
This year, the Labour team and I will be at Waitangi with a clear message: Unity matters, partnership works and our diversity is a source of strength.
We will continue our conversations with communities, listening to and understanding their hopes and concerns, and how we can work alongside them.
And we will say, without hesitation, that Te Tiriti is a promise to be honoured, a foundation to be proud of, and a pathway toward a more united Aotearoa for generations to come.
Let’s recommit to those values this Waitangi Day. Let us choose unity over division, understanding over fear and partnership over indifference. In doing so, we honour not just our history, but the future we are building together.
