A free legal helpline has been set up as the Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi gathers at Te Kao today, before setting off from Te Rerenga Wairua on Monday for parliament, where the Treaty Principles Bill will come under the microscope.
Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa, the New Zealand Māori Law Society, posted a pānui about the helpline on social media on Saturday, “Pānui regarding pro bono assistance during next week’s Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi”.
The post explains about the helpline and its purpose.
“Te Hunga Rōia Māori have set up a phone number to provide free assistance with police and criminal related enquiries during or related to the @toitu_te_tiriti hikoi next week.
“Should you require this type of assistance, please contact 0212172009 and someone will be able to help you.”
The organisation emphasised the peaceful nature of the hīkoi, but encouraged whānau to “reach out” if necessary.
“It is important to note that this is a peaceful hīkoi and we are not anticipating difficulties.
“We tautoko the kaupapa that organisers have set for the hīkoi of manaakitanga and kotahitanga.
“However should you find yourself needing this assistance please reach out. Kia ora”.
The pānui has been well received by followers, with comments on the post including:
“Tau kē! How awesome are our people. Thank you, Te Hunga Rōia Māori ❤️,” by one person.
And “Ka rawe! Pai tēnei whakaaro 🔥,” by another follower.
Te Hunga Rōia Māori comments
Echo Haronga (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga), a co-convenor of Te Hunga Rōia Māori’s criminal law reform komiti, told Te Ao Māori News on Sunday that the helpline was an important way for Māori lawyers to manaaki whānau.
“It is appropriate to reflect on how we as Māori lawyers can express our manaaki in a meaningful way to whānau who are on the hīkoi, and this phoneline is one of many ways our members will be involved in and supporting the hīkoi.”
She said Te Hunga Rōia Māori and the Māori caucus of the Community Law Centres of Aotearoa had partnered on the helpline to “make available our Māori lawyers” to assist with legal queries regarding the hīkoi.
The helpline is not intended to replace existing services there to help “all people of Aotearoa” access justice, she said.
“This phoneline will operate from Monday 11th November – Tuesday 19th November. It is to assist whānau with legal concerns that arise while on the hīkoi, ensuring they can speak with a Māori lawyer.
“These queries may relate to rights with police, police conduct, employment law, family, truancy issues, and other related questions.
“In addition to the phone line, we have provided some public education material relating to rights around protest and rights with police which will be made available on social media.”
It hadn’t been possible to have Māori lawyers on the ground with the hīkoi to provide support, she said.
“Given the dynamic nature of the hīkoi, it is logistically challenging to have lawyers present at identifiable locations. Therefore, we will use a helpline in the first instance to assist whānau with hīkoi-related legal enquiries.”
As this is a peaceful hīkoi, she said they were not anticipating being inundated with requests for assistance.
“We are not expecting to receive a large number of calls.”
Haronga said she is not aware of a similar helpline having been offered previously by the organisation.
“To my knowledge, this is the first time a dedicated phone line has been established,” she said.
“Otirā me mihi ka tika ki ngā rangatira o mua, pērā i a Moana Jackson, and the OGs [originals] of our Hunga, like Whaea Annette Sykes who have long championed protest actions.”
Haronga had a final reminder for whānau.
“We wish to remind whānau that if under arrest, Police will find them a local lawyer to speak to for free.
“Our service is limited and will not cater to arrests or custody matters unrelated to the hīkoi,” she said.
“So you must still use the legal assistance provided by Police if you are under arrest outside of the hīkoi.”
This article has been updated Sunday afternoon at 2.00pm to include comment from Te Hunga Rōia Māori o Aotearoa.
