Edition 139
Monday, November 25, 2024
Significant Year For Our Nation, For Māori, For Our Future Coalition Government’s stance fuels protest action Ruth Wong Opinion Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, director of smart services and communications advisor
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welve months ago on November 23, 2023 the majority of the country who participated in the New Zealand General Election voted for the National Party. The National Party didn’t win enough seats to govern alone, which meant that the new government would need to be made up of more than one party. On November 24, 2023 the new coalition government agreement was signed between the National Party, ACT Party and New Zealand First. The Government is headed by Christopher Luxon, the National Party leader and Prime Minister, and coalition party leaders David Seymour and Winston Peters. Within days of their announcement, their 100-day plan was shared with the country. It included that they would remove the Māori Health Authority, Māori wards in local government, Māori involvement in the governance of natural resources, Māori language in government departments, government services being delivered to Māori, Smokefree New Zealand, the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal, and Māori rights under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These statements made by the Government coalition
Hui A Iwi Waimarama Marae — December 2023. From left: NKII chairman Bayden Barber, kaumātua Jerry Hapuku, whaea Daphne Moeke, Mereana Pitman.
were seen by many as a frontal attack on Māori. Iwi leaders announced their disappointment. Protests began and rallies started to gather throughout the country. On December 2, 2023, the late Kiingi Tuuheitia, shared his concern about the rhetoric of the coalition government around the select committee review of the principles of the Tiriti o Waitangi. He invited all iwi to a Hui-ā-Motu to gather, korero and unify our efforts. On December 16, 2023, a Hui-ā-Iwi was held at Waimarama Marae. The people of Kahungunu came together to share their concerns and submit their propositions. The hui was co-
facilitated by Tiriti o Waitangi principles expert Mereana Pitman. Key statements were endorsed by the NKII Board and taken to the Hui-ā-motu.
Kahungunu’s key statements:
Ngāti Kahungunu reaffirms that Kahungunu did not cede sovereignty. Ngāti Kahungunu has no confidence in the new coalition Government
Ngāti Kahungunu will: Determine its own strategy; Support the actions of other iwi/rōpū that align with our own Declaration of Kahungunu Rights; Work with other groups to protest the repeal of 7AA and
Statements made by the Government coalition were seen by many as a frontal attack on Māori. the repeal of Smokefree Aotearoa; Insist that councils and government continue to acknowledge and give effect to te mana o te wai, te oranga o te taiao; Insist upon the continuation of Māori Wards; Ensure our people remain informed through whānau, hapū hui, education, and regular communications. In January 2024, the Hui-
ā-Motu was hosted by Kiingi Tuheitia at Turangawaewae, Ngaruawahia. The experience in Ngaruawahia was positive and the objective was achieved. The key kaupapa of the hui was kotahitanga — a hui for national unity and an opportunity for our people to kōrero and wānanga as we determine our priorities and establish the kaupapa we want to strive for and achieve. “Our time is now — Kotahitanga is the way” — Kiingi Tuheitia. The Hui-ā-Motu involved breakout spaces with the following focus areas: Rangatahi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi & our Environment, Tikanga & continued on A14