Waitangi 2026: Heckles, boos as PM, coalition party leaders speak at Treaty Grounds

Thursday, 5 February 2026

“Did you bring the KFC?”

Prime Minister Christoper Luxon faced heckles as he spoke at Waitangi’s Treaty Grounds, where he said the nation could “manage our differences without tearing the house down”.

Luxon, using cue cards, said the lead-up to Waitangi commemorations had been tough, particularly for those dealing with weather events including at Mount Maunganui and those who had lost loved ones.

As he was speaking, there were heckles like “had enough”, “treason”, and “did you bring any KFC” - a reference to Luxon last month taking KFC to the storm-ravaged East Cape on an Air Force aircraft.

Luxon said marae, in particular, had stepped up time and time again in hard times, which was why the Government was supporting them to.

He said conversations around the Treaty had become heated, but the national debate was a good thing.

He said the promise all were equal in the eyes of the law was “essential for us going forward”.

“Some people will take a different view of the Treaty to me, and that's fine. We can manage our differences without tearing the house down.”

When he started talking about NCEA results, there were groans from the crowd.

Meanwhile, the architect of the failed Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour, faced boos and heckles too.

Deputy Prime Minister and ACT party leader David Seymour boxed on, saying he was proud there were fewer victims under this government.

He pointed to other initiatives, like charter schools, which he said was partnership, and noted progress getting more people vaccinated.

“We believe it's efficiency that matters, not dividing people into identities.”

He said while the Treaty Principles Bill was voted down, the principle would continue.

“It's easy to defeat a bill and the only way to defeat a principle is to have a better idea, a better idea than a liberal democratic society with equal rights.”

Fellow coalition partner, NZ First leader Winston Peters, told those gathered “we didn't come here to be insulted, in fact we didn't come here to talk about politics” because there were enough other days to do that.

He too was heckled by the crowd. Peters called one protester out, saying he's “some young pup who doesn't know what day it is”.

Peters gave a short, fiery speech and said we were in a “very troubled and trying world” and there would be a time soon that people would want to come talk to him and his party.

Earlier, security held protesters as Luxon, Seymour, Peters and other politicians were formally welcomed to the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi.

The dignitaries were greeted with pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) and whaikōrero (formal speeches) asking “what have I done wrong to you”. The question was posed three times so the politicians “can hear it”.

Speaking in Te Reo Māori, Ngāpuhi haukainga Mutunga Rāmeka asked what the benefits were of responding to hate, with hate.

“It’s not that we don't like you, we don't like what you're doing,” he said.

Sometimes the Government was “deaf” in listening to its people, he said, and had shown a desire to reject the Treaty.

A group of about 50 protesters tried to interrupt the pōwhiri, but Ngāpuhi security held them back.

One protester at the front challenged Luxon by name, saying they were the mokopuna of Tainui.

Later, a protester told those on the lawn to make sure they don't clap when Luxon speaks: “If you clap you're going against Māori.”

Eru Kapa-Kingi, who led the Toitū te Tiriti hīkoi against the Treaty Principles Bill, questioned why they continued “to welcome this spider to our house”.

“This government has stabbed us in the back but others have stabbed us in the back. Labour, I'm looking at you.”

He challenged Labour to “sort yourselves out” and accused them of “milking Māori” over the years.

He told Te Pāti Māori to sort themselves. He said they were milking the mana of every region.

Te Pāti Maori co-leader Rawiri Waititi thanked Kapa-Kingi for his challenge and said he knew he spoke on behalf of his mother, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, who was expelled from the party.

Fellow party leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer is not at Waitangi because her husband is unwell in hospital, he said.

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said chiefs and the Government must work together to achieve equality.

He called Labour MP Peeni Henare’s departure from politics “a waste”.

Green Party announces candidates

The Green Party announced it will run three wāhine Māori in Māori electorates at the election, including: Hūhana Lyndon (currently in Parliament on the list) in Te Tai Tokerau; lawyer Tania Waikato in Te Waiariki; and IronMaori founder Heather Te Au-Skipworth in Ikaroa Rawhiti.

Teanau Tuiono made the announcement during his speech. There was some applause from the audience on the grass.