Isaac Gunson

The judgment means tikanga Māori will guide decisions on exclusive use, and make it harder to dismiss claims based on minor disruptions to that use.

Police monitoring of a gang tangi in Matapihi, Tauranga, has sparked community concern, with local kuia questioning the approach taken under new gang legislation.

The law has been described as a step backwards by researchers who argue it ignores the root causes of crime, such as inequity and poverty.

Public submissions are open until early January, but the justice committee won't consider anything that contains swear words.

The new laws ban gang patches from being worn in public and give police a new suite of powers to break up gang events or stop members interacting.

For all of the hīkoi's contentious subject matter, one issue seemed harder to agree on than most - how big the crowd was.

He spoke in front of a crowd of more than 35,000 in and around Parliament grounds today, all there to support the hīkoi he began nine days ago at te Herenga Wairua.

"David Seymour has done this deliberately. He knows exactly what he’s doing. National and New Zealand First unfortunately have signed up for that."

The petition will be presented to politicians today once the hīkoi arrives.

The national hīkoi which has covered both Te Ika-a-Māui and Te Waipounamu has now converged on Wellington as protesters prepare to march to Pāremata.