Join us live as members of parliament arrive for Waitangi celebrations on the treaty grounds.
The pōwhiri will commence at 11am, with Prime Minsiter Christopher Luxon absent at Te Papa Whenua o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. He is instead in Akaroa being hosted by Ngāi Tahu, but his coalition partners Winston Peters and David Seymour will be in Te Tai Tokerau.
Seymour was previously asked not to attend after Ngāti Rēhia, his iwi, wrote a letter stating that they did not believe his attendance at Waitangi ‘would be an appropriate decision’ due to his Treaty Principles Bill.
Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson announced her return to politics at Waitangi after taking a break following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Yesterday, marked the first Waitangi celebration that the Kiingitanga participated in with their new Kuini, Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā wai hono i te pō, following the passing of her late father, Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, in late August last year.
11:55 AM
I tū mai a Shane Jones hei whakataki i ngā kōrero a Aotearoa Tuatahi. Hei tāna, e kore rawa tana pāti tōrangapū e tautoko i te Pire Mātāpono o te Tiriti.
“We fear that this runs the risk of dismembering not only the Treaty, but our entire ability to give meaning to the words when the tūpuna signed here in – he iwi tahi tātou," Jones said.
“Make sure we as Māori ourselves don’t unwittingly dismember the Treaty. The Treaty is indivisible. E rua kē ōna reo kei te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
11:25 AM
Wāhine of Ngāpuhi descent turned their backs on the coalition during the pōhiri for the politicians.
11:30 AM
“There are some problems you can’t turn your backs on because the numbers do not lie,” Seymour said.
During his speech members of the pae followed suit and Aperahama Edwards took away his microphone.
Respected Ngāti Hine elder Waihoroi Shortland then returned the mic to Seymour.
10:45 AM
Eru Kapa-Kingi of Toitū te Tiriti leads what they are calling a ‘pōhuri’ a play on the word pōhiri and turning their backs on the government.
10:15 AM
The PM is on another waka but Shane Jones is holding the fort for Government in Waitangi.
“Waitangi in the last year or two has degenerated what we saw in the 80s, a political slug fest, it’s bad for the Treaty and an awful way to celebrate our national day,” Jones says.
“In the 1980s we were the kapa rangatahi and the legacy that came by working with our elders Sir Graham Latimer shaped the architecture of the Treaty of Waitangi claims process. The claims have been settled and now Māori leadership is asking why Winston and I to support a model of indigenous rights that entitles Māori to have their own nation states in New Zealand.”
10:00 AM
Regan Paranihi from Te Reo o Te Uru speaks to Aperahama Edwards.
9:50 AM
Ata mārie, nau mai ki ngā kōrero arorangi o te wā atu i Te Papa Whenua o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Follow us here with live updates as we bring you coverage from Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
