New Zealanders gather across country to protest against new policies
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New Zealand police said there had been traffic disruptions in a number of cities, but these had now eased as protests concluded.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WELLINGTON – Thousands of protesters gathered in New Zealand’s city squares, motorway over-bridges and in front of the country’s Parliament on Dec 5 to protest against the new government’s policies that they believe are racist.
The political party Te Pati Maori called for the protest, which coincides with the opening of New Zealand’s 54th Parliament.
A new right-of-centre government of the National Party, New Zealand First and ACT New Zealand was elected following a vote in October, ending six years of rule led by the progressive Labour Party.
The three parties’ new coalition agreement outlines plans to wind back the use of the Maori language, review affirmative action policies, scrap anti-smoking legislation and the Maori Health Authority as well as assess how the country’s founding treaty document is interpreted in legislation.
“This is not a protest. This is an activation,” Te Pati Maori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told protesters in the capital Wellington. “Make our voices heard, let our voices fly and be proud to be who we are today.”
New Zealand police said there had been traffic disruptions in a number of cities, but they had eased as the protests concluded. Two people involved in the protests had been arrested, police said.
Ms Kathy Hughes, 31, said she had come to the early-morning Wellington march because of the concerns around what the new government wanted to do.
“I care deeply about the Kaupapa (principle), worried about lots of things from the incoming government and lots of the changes,” Ms Hughes said.
Mr David Seymour, leader of ACT New Zealand, said in a statement that the protest was just theatrics when New Zealanders just want their government to get on with fixing the many issues the country is dealing with.
Parliament was opened with parliamentarians swearing an oath to Britain’s King Charles III, who is New Zealand’s head of state.
Te Pati Maori’s six parliamentarians broke with protocol, opting to stay in their seats and swear allegiance first to their grandchildren and young people and to the country’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, before moving to the front to swear the oath to King Charles.
Parliamentarians must swear the oath to be an MP. REUTERS
