Thousands march through Whangārei during national protest hīkoi

Thousands marched through Whangārei as part of a Budget Day national protest against some of the coalition Government’s policies relating to Māori and the environment. Photo / Michael Cunningham

One of the largest protest hīkoi in years has wound its way through Whangārei as part of national action against some of the coalition Government’s policies relating to Māori and the environment.

Te Pāti Māori organised a series of protests across the country on Budget Day today against what the opposition party calls “the Government’s assault on tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi”.

Rallies and hīkoi were held across the country, including in Kaitāia, Waitangi and Whangārei, where a crowd of up to 1000 gathered in Laurie Hall Park for speeches from organisers and Māori leaders. The large and diverse crowd - from babies in prams through to schoolchildren, teenagers, adults and the elderly, started gathering at about 8.30am for the 9am rally.

The leaders of the Māori Party continued to encourage Māori people to strike despite a warning from the Prime Minster that it would be illegal to skip work for a protest. The party wrote on social media: “We are being attacked for being Māori. This is what the rangatira revolution is about.”

It is the second nationwide protest action Te Pāti Māori supported against the Government and its policies, coming after action on December 5 last year.

Māoridom has been critical of moves to remove mention of the Treaty of Waitangi from legislation, disestablish the Māori Health Authority, repeal Labour-introduced smoke-free laws and the Act Party’s bid to redefine the Treaty principles.

Up to 1000 people gathered in Laurie Hall Park on Thursday as part of a national protest, before the subsequent hīkoi swelled to several thousand is it went up Bank Street.

Co-organiser of the Whangārei event Te Hiwi Preston said the kaupapa of the rally and subsequent hīkoi was to show the coalition Government that Māori, and many non-Māori were not happy with its direction and policies affecting Māori and the environment.

Preston said it was chance for people to stand up for the future of their moko and the country.

“It’s an opportunity for all people to say they don’t like the direction this coalition Government is taking the country in. It’s a peaceful protest to say we’ve had enough.“

Preston said with protests being held right across the country, the action was sending a powerful message to the Government.

Whangārei protest hīkoi co-organiser Te Hiwi Preston was delighted at the huge turnout far the event, which attracted several thousand people.

Aperahama Edwards, chairman of the Ngātiwai Trust Board, told the Whangārei crowd the action was for those who have gone before and those who are still to come.

“This is for unity and kotahitanga, in the face of a constant barrage of challenges coming [from the Government]. It’s sending quite a powerful message that we have had enough of [those challenges] and will not be silenced.

“These attacks [on Māoridom] and the environment and the wellbeing of the country are not acceptable, and we will not just sit back.“

Auriole Ruka, Te Pāti Māori chairwoman in Te Tai Tokerau, said the action had been slated because of the word ‘strike’ used to describe it.

“We are striking against this coalition Government that has already made many of our people unemployed, that [has] taken away funding for Māori health and those that look [after] our moko,“ she said.

“We are tangata whenua, and we don’t need anybody’s permission for striking out.“

Peter Maguire, from Network Waitangi, was among the many non-Māori at the Whangārei protest and said he and many others, were there to support the kaupapa of the action.

Tangata Tiriti supporters and member of Network Waitangi showed up early to the Whangārei protest event to support the kaupapa of the action

He said it was to show the Government that many people did not support its policies that undermined Māori and the environment and that would take the country backwards, creating division. The huge support for the nationwide action should make the Government sit up and take notice.

In Whangārei the rally left Laurie Hall Park for a hīkoi up Bank Street to the Regent, then back to the park for another gathering and kai. The hīkoi swelled to several thousand strong as it went up and down Bank St, one of the largest hīkoi seen in the town for many years.

Protesters were waving flags on the march up Bank St, Whangārei, as part of the national hīkoi.

The hīkoi members were waving flags, signs and singing as they went through the town, and despite the serious messages it was promoting, it was done in an almost party or celebratory atmosphere, with hīkoi members breaking out into laughter several times on the journey. Several times they burst into a haka or a rendition of Tutira Mai Nga Iwi, with hearty deliveries of each “aue”.

The hīkoi caused traffic to back up on both sides of Bank St as it went along, but many motorists gave toots of support, despite the delay.

Preston was delighted with the huge turnout, saying it showed the depth of feeling of many people on the policies the hīkoi was highlighting.

In Kaitāia, several hundred people gathered outside the Orana Motel before the hīkoi went down Commerce St, with many waving flags, singing and chanting along the way. It was a big turnout for the small town.

Protest hīkoi organisers worked with police to ensure the event went smoothly.

Northland Regional Council deputy chairwoman Tui Shortland speaks at the Laurie Hall protest rally on Budget Day.