Te Pāti Māori wants to establish its own parliament

Thursday, 30 May 2024

Thousands of people hit the streets across the country to protest about the Government's policies.

Te Te Pāti Māori has issued a Declaration of Political Independence, beginning the process to establish its own parliament.
It was announced as thousands of people joined a hīkoi for National Māori Action Day, spearheaded by the political party.
“Enough is enough,” a statement from Te Te Pāti Māori said.

Te Pāti Māori wants to set up its own parliament.

The party made the announcement as thousands of people across the country joined a hīkoi for National Māori Action Day, spearheaded by the political party, and coinciding with the Budget announcements.

It has issued a Declaration of Political Independence, Te Ngākau o Te Iwi Māori, and was imploring all Māori, people of all ages and ethnicities to sign it.

Te Pāti Māori leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“What we have witnessed today is te iwi Māori across Aotearoa tell this government that enough is enough.

“No longer can we allow this very house to dictate our rangatiratanga,” Te Pāti Māori said in a statement.

“For my future,” a sign at the hīkoi in Wellington said.

“To assert Māori sovereignty as affirmed and protected in He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, te iwi Māori shall establish its own parliament.

It would be anchored in tikanga (Māori customs) and kawa (marae protocol), and focused entirely on mokopuna (descendants) livelihood.

It also said the parliament would be established as part of transforming Aotearoa into a nation “which respects the tino rangatiratanga (sovereignty) of tangata whenua, and creates a safe home for all peoples”.

Large crowds gathered for National Māori Action Day in Wellington.

The statement said this was the type of transformation its people had been waiting for.

“Up and down the country, near 100-thousand people have taken part in activation rallies and we have saturated social media networks.

“We have mobilised our people in the matter of days in a beautiful harmonious activation against this Government.

“The wairua (spirit) and ahua (appearance) among our own was magic. Seeing Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Whenua as one, which is the true intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is exactly what scares the bejesus out of this government.

“We will no longer let decisions made by this house determine our oranga (livelihood). The oranga of our people, our mokopuna the land and te iwi Māori katoa.

“We now begin the process of establishing our own Parliament. Our people will design what this looks like for us, nobody else.”