Source: Radio New Zealand
A pōwhiri for Te Arikinui Kuiini nga wai hono i te po and the Kiingitanga at Waitangi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
With the immenent arrival of government politicians at Waitangi, Māori leaders are encouraging Māori to register and vote in the upcoming election.
Politicians from all parties, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, will be welcomed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds around 11am on Thursday.
Waikato-Tainui executive chair and Iwi Chairs Forum member Tukoroirangi Morgan said Māori needed to be participants in democracy rather than bystanders.
“There 255,000 thousand people, registered voters who are aged between 30 and 18, and they are ready to go. But there are also thousands and thousands of our young ones who haven’t registered and the onus is on our people and our leaders to get out and their grandchildren and our communities, vote.”
Politicians from all parties will be welcomed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds around 11am on Thursday. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
The National Iwi Chairs Forum met with the prime minister on Wednesday, and with the leader of the opposition, Chris Hipkins, the day before that.
Luxon called the talks with the forum “positive and constructive”.
Morgan said the message to the prime minister was that treaty settlements are sacrosanct and should not be meddled with.
“Even despite the fact that there are changes to the RMA (Resource Management Act) and other pieces of legislation you cannot compromise or minimise treaty settlements they are sacrosanct.
“And even the pathway to those who haven’t settled should also be protected.”
Te Arikinui Kuiini nga wai hono i te po (C) and the Kiingitanga are welcomed at Waitangi. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
