Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio. Photo / File
Te Ao Māori News will present live coverage of the government's official apology for the wrongs committed during the Dawn Raids, this Sunday from 3pm at TeAoMaori.news and via our Facebook page.
A commemoration event will be held at the Auckland Town Hall hosted by the Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio.
Between 1974 and 1976, rigorous enforcement of immigration policies led officials to conduct targeted raids on the homes of Pacific families, often early in the morning or late at night, giving rise to the term ‘Dawn Raids’.
At the time, the practice prompted public outcry from Pacific leaders, churches, media organisations and groups, including the Polynesian Panther Party, Ngā Tamatoa, Amnesty Aroha, Federation of Labour, and the Citizens Association for Racial Equality (CARE).
Recently, the Polynesian Panther Party submitted a written request to the government for an apology which was approved by cabinet and announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister Sio in mid-June.
Minister Sio says the apology is an opportunity to promote a reconciliation process for those directly impacted by the Dawn Raids and will be delivered in a culturally appropriate way.
The apology was originally scheduled for late June but was postponed after a tourist tested positive for Covid-19 resulting in the introduction of alert level two restrictions in Wellington.
Witness this historic apology this Sunday from 3pm to 6pm via the live stream available at TeAoMaori.news and through the Te Ao Māori News Facebook page.