A proposal in New Zealand aimed at redefining the founding treaty between the British Crown and Māori chiefs has sparked political upheaval, prompting over 35,000 people to protest in front of the New Zealand Parliament today. While the bill is not expected to pass, it has become a crucial flashpoint in a complex, 180-year-old conversation about race relations and how New Zealand should honor its commitments to its indigenous people.
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03-17, 2025Tens of thousands of people gathered in the capital, Wellington, this morning for the final stage of a week-long protest that has spread across the country, taking the form of marches through city streets to Parliament. This followed the Māori tradition of "hīkoi" (walking), intended to draw attention to the perceived breaches of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, and is likely to be one of the largest treaty rights demonstrations in modern New Zealand history.
The Treaty of Waitangi is considered New Zealand's founding document, signed in colonial times by representatives of the British Crown and 500 Māori chiefs. The treaty outlined, in both English and Māori versions, the principles guiding the relationship between the Crown and Māori. The treaty promised to grant Māori the rights and privileges of British subjects, but the English and Māori versions differed on the extent of the chiefs' cession of authority over their affairs, land, and autonomy. Over the decades, the Crown has violated both versions.
Driven by Māori protest movements, over the past 50 years, New Zealand courts, lawmakers, and the Waitangi Tribunal (a permanent commission established to adjudicate treaty matters) have worked to bridge the differences between the treaty versions and redress breaches by constructing the meaning of treaty principles in rulings. These principles are intended to be flexible but are generally described as partnership with the Crown, protection of Māori interests, and participation in decision-making. Although Māori remain disenfranchised in many ways, the legal recognition of the treaty and efforts to redress breaches have since transformed the social fabric. The Māori language has undergone a revival, with everyday usage now commonplace, even among non-Māori. Policies have been developed to address the disparities that Māori disproportionately face. Billion-dollar settlements have been reached between the Crown and various tribes for treaty breaches, particularly the extensive appropriation of Māori land and natural resources.
However, some New Zealanders are not satisfied with the redress measures. David Seymour, a member of Parliament and leader of a small libertarian party that won less than 9% of the vote in last year's election, has gained outsized influence over the government's agenda as part of a coalition agreement. Seymour's proposed law would provide a concrete definition of the treaty principles and apply them to all New Zealanders, not just Māori. He argues that the piecemeal construction of the treaty's meaning has left a vacuum and granted Māori special treatment. Seymour's bill has been widely opposed, including by former prime ministers from both the left and right, the country's 40 most senior lawyers, and the thousands of New Zealand Māori and non-Māori who are marching in protest across the country. Seymour's bill is not expected to pass its final readings. Due to a political deal, the bill passed its first reading on Thursday, but most of those who supported the bill are not expected to do so again.
Critics say the bill threatens constitutional upheaval and would undo rights promised in the treaty and now enshrined in law. Critics have also slammed Seymour (who is himself Māori) for stoking opposition to indigenous people. Peaceful walking protests are a Māori tradition and have occurred at key moments in the national conversation about treaty rights. In the country of 5 million people, police said more than 35,000 people thronged to the Parliament grounds on Tuesday after marching through the city center, blocking streets and drawing thousands of onlookers, many holding signs supporting the protesters. Crowds unable to squeeze onto the Parliament grounds spilled into surrounding streets, which remained closed to traffic, as people waved flags, sang Māori songs, and listened to speeches. Many marched to oppose Seymour's bill. But others were protesting a range of policies from the right-leaning government regarding Māori affairs, including a directive from Seymour that public agencies should no longer formulate policies specifically aimed at redressing Māori inequities.
