Crowd gathers at Pākaitore in Whanganui as part of national protests

Crowds gathered at Pākaitore today to join nationwide protests that took place as the coalition Government announced its first Budget.

A campaign group named Toitū Te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty) held a strike to “demonstrate a unified Aotearoa response to the Government’s assault on tangata whenua [Māori people] and Te Tiriti of Waitangi”.

The hīkoi in Whanganui descended on Pākaitore where there were performances from schoolchildren, kai and speeches. More than 250 people took part.

Community leader Elijah Pue said he was not “holding his breath” for the Budget announcement to include anything that benefited Māori.

“I’ve come down here to celebrate who we are as a community, who we are as a river community and mountain community.

“We want everyone on board to show that all of the colonised systems that might be against us, that we don’t care, we aren’t scared and we know who we are and where we come from.”

Pue said he was “really concerned” about the repeal of Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act – which had outlined an obligation to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority and referendums on Māori wards.

“All of these things simply exist to ensure that by right we are represented in some of these key parts of our community – it isn’t about divisive policy, or they and us, it’s all of us on the waka together.”

Iwi leader Ken Mair spoke to the crowd and said people had gathered to acknowledge and “free ourselves from an oppressive system”.

“For us, as Māori, to unite together in regards to the harmful, hostile actions of the present coalition Government against our community and our environment.

“It’s about us working together to have a future Aotearoa that is reflective of our land as a whole.

“Why do we need these symbols of oppression like the flag, the national anthem and our country’s name?”

Pue said the protest was not just in response to Government action but was also a celebration of identity: “We have a right to hīkoi, to celebrate and to come to Pākaitore every day”.

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Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.