The Action Station petition to kill the Treaty Principles bill has crossed the 200,000 signature mark on the morning te Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrives at Pāremata.
The petition will be presented to politicians today once the hīkoi arrives, passing the milestone mark of 200,000 signatures shortly after 8:30am this morning.
Thousands are gathering in Waitangi Park to walk across Wellington to parliament, with some estimates putting the expected number of protesters at 30,000.
The Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, will be among them.
David Seymour, the architect of the bill, said he was willing to meet the hīkoi but had reservations.
“I would be happy to meet with the organisers of the hikoi. However, I heard the leader say he didn’t want to meet me because I don’t speak Māori and it would make conversation difficult."
“He said that in English.”
What Kapa-Kingi said, while speaking to RNZ’s Morning Report was discussing the Treaty with someone who did not understand it would be pointless.
“The truth of what [te Tiriti] says, its context, its kupu [words].
“And if he can’t speak Māori either - that would be very difficult to facilitate such a conversation.
“So that’s the danger of everything that’s happening with the Treaty Principles Bill, that’s been pushed by the likes of David Seymour, and the many ignorant people behind him, who have a lot to say about te Tiriti o Waitangi, but don’t know a lot about it.”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon remains open to engaging with the hīkoi but is yet to make clear how he will do so.