Underpinning the Budget announcement were nationwide protests against the coalition Government’s policies that are considered to be eroding Indigenous rights.
A crowd of protesters marched through Wellington towards Parliament, and protests took place at major centres nationwide: Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton, and many others.
A growing list of policies has led to a national hui called by the Māori King and massive showings on Waitangi and Budget Day.
This list includes the disbanding of the Māori Health Authority, Te Aka Whai Ora, repeal of the world-first tobacco ban, policies discouraging te reo Māori use and making English an official language, proposed fast-track legislation, and the Treaty Principles Act, which aims to redefine the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The newest addition to the list is a bill to disband Māori wards in local governments, the Local Government Amendment Bill.
The Budget cut about $250 million from targeted Māori funding. Te Pāti Māori jumped on the funding cuts and re-emphasised their allegations that the current Government is anti-Māori.
Off the back of Budget Day hype, and in line with protests nationwide, Te Pāti Māori issued a Declaration of Political Independence, ’Te Ngākau o Te Iwi Māori,’ and are imploring all Māori, people of all ages and ethnicities in Aotearoa to sign the Declaration.
The Declaration ‘Te Ngākau o Te Iwi Māori’ asserts Māori sovereignty as affirmed and protected in He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Te iwi Māori shall establish its own parliament, which will be anchored in our tikanga and kawa, focussed entirely on mokopuna livelihood, and established as part of transforming Aotearoa into a nation that respects the tino rangatiratanga of tangata whenua and creates a safe home for all peoples.
“Up and down the country, near 100-thousand people have taken part in activation rallies and we have saturated social media networks,” a Te Pāti Māori press statement reads. “We have mobilised our people in the matter of days in a beautiful harmonious activation against this Government.”
Time will tell how successful Te Pāti Māori are in establishing their own Parliament.
This year’s Budget reflects the heartlessness of the Coalition Government when it comes to Pasifika, according to the Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka (Māori and Pasifika) caucus.
“I can summarise this Budget in one word: pathetic,” says Teanau Tuiono, the Green Party Spokesperson for Pacific Peoples.
“It’s not just cuts to frontline public health and education services that hurt Pasifika. It’s also other stuff like refusing to guarantee ongoing funding for the free school lunch programme which helped kids from struggling families to get to, and get through, school.
“We’ve already seen how Māori and Pasifika are adversely affected by the coalition government’s reactionary policies, such as reintroducing 90-day employment trial periods and scrapping Fair Pay Agreements.
“The Greens value the enormous economic, cultural, and social contributions of Pasifika to Aotearoa New Zealand and will continue to speak out for Pasifika because, as the Budget underlines, this Government lacks a heart for the needs of Pacific communities,” says Teanau Tuiono.
The Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka (Māori and Pasifika) caucus has labelled this year’s Budget as unambitious for Māori and unapologetic in its disregard for Te Tiriti.
“Today’s Budget is pathetic, underwhelming and lazy,” says Green Party co-leader, Marama Davidson.
“The Minister for Māori Development is clearly asleep at the wheel; I suspect he didn’t even bother to get in the waka.”
“Māori Housing initiatives. Gone. Māori Climate initiatives. Gone. All there is is a small sugar hit for kapa haka. Our whānau will see right through this.”
Hon Tama Potaka, National’s Minister for Māori Development, says securing long-term funding of $48.7 million from 2025 will ensure the future of Te Matatini prospers with the support of the Government.
“The significance of kapa haka to Te Ao Māori is something we value deeply, especially since the rise of the waiata-ā-ringa form with Tā Apirana Ngata. The contribution Te Matatini makes to our culture in Aotearoa, New Zealand, is without a doubt an important aspect of that. It also contributes positively to intergenerational learning among whānau.
“The last government left New Zealanders with several unfunded programmes, and Te Matatini was unfortunately one of them with no funding after 2024/25. We’ve changed that,” Mr Potaka says.
The new funding of $48.7 million is over three years, beginning in 2025/26.