“That Bill means they can forget to take care of us.”
That is how the Te Rūnanga kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku described the Bill to the crowd of whānau Māori, local iwi leaders and union representatives today.
Supported by other Te Rūnanga representatives Tracey Morgan, Charleen Waddell and Davis Ferguson, Nuku told them the Bill meant Māori would be forgotten and ignored by this Government.
“They can build their empire and forget to take care of us because we are all New Zealanders, not tangata whenua, not tangata Tiriti.
“We represent over 64,000 nurses throughout the country, 4000 of them are Māori. And everyday we are challenged by things put in place by this Government since they came into action.
“In their first 100 days they removed the Smokefree Act – the thing that was killing our people. Then they disestablished Te Aka Whaiora.
“Piece by piece they are trying to remove our rights as tangata whenua.”
“Piece by piece they are trying to remove our rights as tangata whenua.”
Nuku told the crowd to come back to Parliament on November 19 – to which everyone agreed to do.
“We are just here to hold space until our hīkoi whānau get here on the 19th.”
“We are just here to hold space until our hīkoi whānau get here on the 19th.”
Whānau come from afar
A number of Māori people attended the rally, travelling from Auckland, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Whanganui.
The rally even got a mihi from mana whenua representatives Kura Moeahu of Taranaki whānui and Sir Matiu Te Rei of Ngāti Toa Rangatira. MPs from the Labour, Green and Māori parties also mingled with rally participants.
One wahine, who wanted to be known as Miharo, said she travelled from Tamaki because she wanted to know that when they move, Māori will move too.
“We wanted to be heard, to say kao, we don’t support this Bill.
“Te Tiriti protects us all, so we need to protect it.”
“Te Tiriti protects us all, so we need to protect it.”
Whata Leka Taumalolo Skipwith travelled from Rotorua to be at the rally, taking time away from an occupation at Lake Rotokakahi.
“They [Police] can now restrain us and arrest us on our own whenua – land we have a right to protect from the council. That same affect is being pushed by this Government.
“We are all under attack, doesn’t matter what part of the country you are from.”
“We are all under attack, doesn’t matter what part of the country you are from.”
Rawiri (David) Tawhai-Bodsworth, chair of Te Atiawa ki Kapiti, told the crowd that Act Party leader David Seymour, who created the Bill, had been given too much power by other parts of the coalition Government.
“It shows a real lack of honour by this Government.”
“It shows a real lack of honour by this Government,” said Tawhai-Bodsworth.
Unions support te Tiriti
A number of unions also took part in the rally – First Union, PPTA, PSA and E Tu.
Chris Abercrombie from PPTA told the rally the Bill if remove the Crown of obligation to actively protect the rights and interests of Māori, particular in educational needs.28
“It brings nothing to this table that progresses our society and our country. It takes us backwards,” said Abercrombie.