March for the Treaty of Waitangi protest: Convoys start in Northland tomorrow, police plan to spring into action

Police watch people in Epsom protesting against the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill in Parliament. Photo / Carson Bluck

Act leader David Seymour has questioned why the tens of thousands of people expected to take part in a mass convoy to Parliament are adopting causes unrelated to the Crown-Māori relationship.

Police are set for a week of protests with huge groups expected to turn out and block major highways across the North Island as they march towards Parliament.

The Hīkoi mō te Tiriti (March for the Treaty of Waitangi), organised by Te Pāti Māori-aligned advocacy group Toitū te Tiriti, will start at Cape Rēinga tomorrow.

Convoys of protesters will travel southbound along Auckland’s Northern Motorway during Wednesday morning’s commute. Convoys will continue southbound on the Southern Motorway as commuters try to get home later that day.

The protesters will then converge on Wellington to gather at Parliament next Tuesday.

While Toitū te Tiriti is focused on protesting over Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which had its first reading in Parliament this week, police say there is a risk other protest groups may join in and inflame tensions.

Convoys of protesters will travel southbound along Auckland’s Northern Motorway during Wednesday morning’s commute. Photo / Dean Purcell

Police anticipate gang members opposed to an incoming patch ban may join the march. Police also believe groups protesting over the conflict in Gaza could join. A Toitū te Tiriti spokeswoman said protest groups such as these were part of “the cause” of the eight-day event.

In a statement this evening, Seymour said it was “unusual” that organisers were adopting other causes such as Gaza and the ban on gang patches, “as they have nothing to do with the Crown-Māori relationship”.

“The Treaty Principles Bill can’t and won’t diminish the Māori language or culture. As I said at Waitangi last year, Act is committed to cherishing the Māori language and culture,” he said.

“The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for New Zealanders – rather than the courts and the Waitangi Tribunal – to have a say on what the Treaty means. Did the Treaty give different rights to different groups, or does every citizen have equal rights? I believe all New Zealanders deserve to have a say on that question.”

Meanwhile Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said every New Zealander had the right to peaceful protest.

“I urge everyone participating in the hīkoi over the next few days to be safe. I am conscious of the depth of feeling among many Māori toward the Treaty Principles Bill and want to reassure New Zealanders that National will vote against the bill at second reading.”

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the hīkoi didn’t come out of nowhere.

“Aotearoa New Zealand is facing the highest rates of wealth inequality on record, a housing crisis, crumbling infrastructure and a new ‘one-in-a-hundred years’ climate change-charged weather event every few months, but Christopher Luxon has decided to spend our country’s precious energy stirring up racism, anger and divisiveness,” Swarbrick said.

“This hīkoi didn’t come from nowhere – it is a direct response to the lack of personal responsibility any member of this Government is willing to take for prioritising an agreement forged in secret back rooms between three men over the needs of the country.”

In a joint statement last week from Labour, the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori, they said they “stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it”.

“This Government is waging war on our existence as Māori and on the fabric of this nation,” Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said.

“To all the people of Aotearoa, we need you. We need you to join the Hīkoi for Te Tiriti. Tangata Whenua, Tangata Moana, Tangata Tiriti, this fight belongs to all of us.”

His co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, said: “We are a movement that leaves no one behind. We are uniting for the Aotearoa our mokopuna deserve to inherit. This kaupapa is bigger than each of us.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the party supported the hīkoi opposing the bill, “which seeks to undo decades of progress we’ve made as a country”.

“The bill is divisive, a waste of time and taxpayer money and the Prime Minister should show some leadership and kill it before it goes any further.”

Cops expect peaceful, lawful protest after word with organisers

Superintendent Kelly Ryan said police today established a major operations centre at police headquarters in Wellington to oversee the response across the North Island.

The centre will give logistical, resource and communication support to all districts along the convoy route, Ryan said.

She said police had been speaking with organisers for many weeks.

“Our discussions with organisers to date have been positive and we expect the hīkoi to be conducted in a peaceful and lawful manner,” Ryan said.

Police have set up a ops room in preparation for a week of protests where tens of thousands are expected to turn out and block major highways across the North Island as they march towards Parliament. Photo / Carson Bluck

“We’ve planned for large numbers to join the hīkoi, with disruption likely to some roads, including highways and main streets along the route.

“The [operations centre] will support our frontline, district-based staff with the management of people, vehicles and activities, while also maintaining central oversight.

“We will continue to co-ordinate with iwi leaders and our partners across government to ensure public safety and minimal disruption to people going about their daily routine.

“We’re also well connected with Waka Kotahi/NZTA and local councils to ensure road users have up-to-date information and can plan accordingly.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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