Cabinet ministers to cook food for public at Prime Minister's Waitangi Day breakfast

Te Whare Runanga - the carved meeting house - where the Prime Minister and other dignitaries will be welcomed on February 5. Photo/File

It's not often you can eat breakfast cooked by Cabinet ministers on Waitangi Day while the Prime Minister walks around chatting to the public.

But that's exactly the format the Prime Minister's Waitangi Day breakfast will take this year.

It's a far cry from the traditional invitation-only breakfast held at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort but, in another unprecedented move from PM Jacinda Ardern, ministers will be swapping suits for aprons to serve a public breakfast.

"She has instructed that her Cabinet ministers will be doing all of the cooking. It will be a barbecue, a sausage sizzle, and a bit of bacon," Waitangi Treaty Grounds cultural manager Mori Rapana said.

It is the first time since 2015 a Prime Minister's Waitangi Day breakfast will be held after former Prime Ministers John Key and Bill English decided not to attend commemorations in the Bay of Islands in 2016 and 2017.

Rapana said the breakfast will be held near the Waka Stage from 7.30am but was not sure which ministers would be serving the food.

He said it was important people got the chance to talk to Ardern, who will be travelling to Waitangi on Thursday, February 1.

"She is showcasing her manaakitanga [hospitality] and our country is known for our hospitality," he said.

The breakfast is the latest in a list of Waitangi Day commemoration plans that deviate from tradition.

The pre-Waitangi Day powhiri for dignitaries, including the Prime Minister, will be held at Te Whare Runanga, or the carved meeting house, at the Upper Treaty Grounds instead of Te Tii Marae after years of controversy.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will spend five days in the Bay of Islands. Photo/File

Rapana said the powhiri, which is open to the public, will be held at 10am on February 5, and Ngapuhi activist and kuia Titewhai Harawira would escort the Prime Minister on to Te Whare Runanga.

Ardern will also be speaking on the mahau (porch) area of Te Whare Runanga during the formalities.

"No exceptions were made because of her status, same for the Governor-General. It was a decision that it is observed in some tikanga around Ngapuhi that women were accorded the right to speak and many marae still adhere to that tikanga."

Rapana did not know at this stage what other parties would be welcomed on. He said after formalities on February 5 there would be a breakfast for VIP dignitaries in a tent in a roped-off area, and separate kai for the public on the Treaty Grounds.

"The marae of Ngati Hine and Ngapuhi have come together to bring resources together and are going to feed the public that come to the powhiri.

"The PM has advised that immediately after her kai she'd like to immerse herself among the people while they're having kai," he said.

While in Waitangi Ardern will also attend the Iwi Leaders' Forum on February 2. She acknowledged that spending more than five days in Waitangi was "a bit unusual" but she wanted to make full use of the time when people are gathered there.

"Waitangi is always about more than one day. It is about our relationships. It is about our relationships with Northland and the people of Northland, the communities of Northland.

"But it is also about our relationship between Crown and iwi and Maori generally."

Ardern does not plan to visit Te Tii Marae but said it was not a decision made by the Government but by the Waitangi National Trust and the Commemorations Committee.

"I would go to Waitangi happily either way. I would have been there."