Marama Davidson announces that she will re-enter the Māori Party's Te Rā o Parihaka Bill into the Parliament's Member's Bill Ballot. This comes as a surprise as the people of Parihaka commemorate 136 years since the invasion by the Crown on Parihaka in the Taranaki region.
A surprising announcement by Davidson at the Auckland Peace Action conference.
“I want Labour and New Zealand First to support this Bill to establish a National Day. My job is to negotiate with those parties and commemorate the people of Parihaka.”
Davidson will adopt the Te Rā o Parihaka Bill, previously sponsored by former Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox, calling for a national memorial day for the wrongful invasion and subsequent pillage of Parihaka by Crown forces in in 1881.
Māori Party Co-Leader Marama Fox told Te Kāea, “I'm so glad that this woman has taken this Bill on. It's a Bill which acknowledges people of Parihaka and it was something that I was heavily invested in, in order to find solutions for them.”
Re-entering the bill into the Parliament's Member's Bill Ballot gives effect to the deed of reconciliation signed earlier this year on June 9 in which the Crown and Parihaka agree to reconcile their relationship.
Parihaka Rā Advocate Ruakere Hond says, “I acknowledge Marama (Davidson) for adopting this concept in which was previously under Marama (Fox) and Tariana (Turia). The concept was established in Parliament by Tariana.”
Today's public announcement was part of the Parihaka commemoration of 136 years since the invasion by the Crown.
