CoveragePost
February 6, 2026
By Russell Palmer, RNZ News political reporter New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon faced sustained heckling and had to fend off questions about a revived Treaty Principles Bill as he returned to Waitangi this year. ACT leader David Seymour predictably attracted his own jeers, and NZ First’s Winston Peters focused on a return serve. The ... <a title="Speeches, celebrations and heckling – what happened at Waitangi" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/06/speeches-celebrations-and-heckling-what-happened-at-waitangi/" aria-label="Read more about Speeches, celebrations and heckling – what happened at Waitangi">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 5, 2026
By Coco Lance, RNZ Pacific digital journalist As Waitangi Day commemorations continue drawing people from across Aotearoa and around the world to the Bay of Islands, Te Tii Marae has become a gathering point for Indigenous ocean leadership from across the Pacific. Taiātea: Gathering of the Oceans held its public forum yesterday, uniting more than ... <a title="Indigenous and Pacific leaders unite at Waitangi with shared messages on ocean conservation" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/05/indigenous-and-pacific-leaders-unite-at-waitangi-with-shared-messages-on-ocean-conservation/" aria-label="Read more about Indigenous and Pacific leaders unite at Waitangi with shared messages on ocean conservation">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 4, 2026
Asia Pacific Report Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi, a Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawai’ian) initiative for self-determination and self-governance formed in 1987, has sent a 17-member Indigenous delegation to Waitangi to stand in solidarity with Māori in defence of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The delegation is present to “stand alongside Māori leadership, strengthen international solidarity, and affirm the ... <a title="Big Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi delegation joins Māori in solidarity over Te Tiriti" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2026/02/04/big-ka-lahui-hawai%ca%bbi-delegation-joins-maori-in-solidarity-over-te-tiriti/" aria-label="Read more about Big Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi delegation joins Māori in solidarity over Te Tiriti">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 7, 2024
By Pokere Paewai , RNZ News Māori issues reporter, and Shannon Haunui-Thompson, Te Manu Korihi editor Before the sun rose and the birds started singing in Aotearoa today, thousands of people arrived for the traditional dawn service on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Standing in the footprints of those who first signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ... <a title="Waitangi Day 2024: Thousands of visitors, one clear message – ‘Toitū te Tiriti!’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/07/waitangi-day-2024-thousands-of-visitors-one-clear-message-toitu-te-tiriti/" aria-label="Read more about Waitangi Day 2024: Thousands of visitors, one clear message – ‘Toitū te Tiriti!’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 6, 2024
Thousands of people gathered before dawn in the Bay of Islands today to commemorate Aotearoa New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi amid heightened tensions between the coalition government and Māori. Waitangi Trust chair Pita Tipene welcomed everyone and said the massive crowds were vastly different from when the country was stuck in the grip of the ... <a title="Waitangi Day 2024: Dawn service turns to unity, love and togetherness" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/06/waitangi-day-2024-dawn-service-turns-to-unity-love-and-togetherness/" aria-label="Read more about Waitangi Day 2024: Dawn service turns to unity, love and togetherness">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 5, 2024
RNZ News The crowd booed a combative Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and drowned out Associate Treaty Minister David Seymour, while Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sombrely reflected on history at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds today. It was a confronting reception for the coalition government. Thousands gathered for the annual commemorations and to carry on the ... <a title="Waitangi: Luxon faces questions after day of speeches at Treaty Grounds" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/02/05/waitangi-luxon-faces-questions-after-day-of-speeches-at-treaty-grounds/" aria-label="Read more about Waitangi: Luxon faces questions after day of speeches at Treaty Grounds">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 26, 2024
ANALYSIS: By Dominic O’Sullivan, Charles Sturt University The ACT Party’s election promise of a referendum for Aotearoa New Zealand to redefine and enshrine the “principles” of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) is likely to dominate debate at this year’s Rātana and Waitangi Day events. ACT’s coalition agreement with the National Party commits ... <a title="Waitangi 2024: how NZ’s Tiriti strengthens democracy and checks unbridled power" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/01/26/waitangi-2024-how-nzs-tiriti-strengthens-democracy-and-checks-unbridled-power/" aria-label="Read more about Waitangi 2024: how NZ’s Tiriti strengthens democracy and checks unbridled power">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
January 23, 2024
By Ruci Farrell of Pacific Media Network Pacific peoples joined with tangata whenua at the weekend, calling on the Aotearoa New Zealand government to uphold indigenous principles and language. Twelve thousand people attended the unity hui at Tuurangawaewae Marae on Saturday, called by the Kiingitanga to discuss what is being seen as anti-Māori actions by ... <a title="Former Pacific minister ‘lights fire of spirit’ supporting Māori at unity hui" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/01/23/former-pacific-minister-lights-fire-of-spirit-supporting-maori-at-unity-hui/" aria-label="Read more about Former Pacific minister ‘lights fire of spirit’ supporting Māori at unity hui">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 7, 2023
RNZ News New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has described today’s Waitangi Day dawn service as moving and says he welcomes the shift away from a focus on politics. Hundreds of people gathered before dawn to commemorate 183 years since Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed. Hipkins said the national day had a greater focus ... <a title="Prime Minister Hipkins welcomes less politics, more commemoration on Waitangi Day" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/07/prime-minister-hipkins-welcomes-less-politics-more-commemoration-on-waitangi-day/" aria-label="Read more about Prime Minister Hipkins welcomes less politics, more commemoration on Waitangi Day">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 6, 2023
ANALYSIS: By Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato; Claire Breen, University of Waikato, and Valmaine Toki, University of Waikato The heated (and often confused) debate about “co-governance” in Aotearoa New Zealand inevitably leads back to its source, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. But, as its long-contested meanings demonstrate, very little in the Treaty of Waitangi is straightforward. ... <a title="NZ’s Waitangi Day 2023 – why Article 3 of the Treaty deserves more attention in the age of ‘co-governance’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/06/nzs-waitangi-day-2023-why-article-3-of-the-treaty-deserves-more-attention-in-the-age-of-co-governance/" aria-label="Read more about NZ’s Waitangi Day 2023 – why Article 3 of the Treaty deserves more attention in the age of ‘co-governance’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 4, 2023
By Jamie Tahana, RNZ News Te Ao Māori journalist at Waitangi, and Russell Palmer, digital political journalist Iwi leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand have accused opposition parties National and ACT of “fanning the flames of racism”, urging the prime minister to be brave and not walk away from partnership on Three Waters. With Waitangi events and ... <a title="Iwi leaders warn Hipkins not to bow over Three Waters co-governance" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/02/04/iwi-leaders-warn-hipkins-not-to-bow-over-three-waters-co-governance/" aria-label="Read more about Iwi leaders warn Hipkins not to bow over Three Waters co-governance">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 7, 2022
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s prerecorded speech marking the historic 1840 Treaty of Waitangi between Māori chiefs and the colonial government made from the treaty grounds. Video: RNZ News RNZ News Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has used her Waitangi Day speech to call for New Zealand’s people to come together and overcome the challenges facing the ... <a title="‘With togetherness, we overcome,’ says NZ’s Ardern on Waitangi Day" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/02/07/with-togetherness-we-overcome-says-nzs-ardern-on-waitangi-day/" aria-label="Read more about ‘With togetherness, we overcome,’ says NZ’s Ardern on Waitangi Day">Read more</a>
