Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi at the hīkoi mō te Tiriti on Rotorua’s Fenton St on Friday. Photo / Ben Fraser
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi at the hīkoi mō te Tiriti on Rotorua’s Fenton St on Friday. Photo / Ben Fraser
Up to 30,000 people are expected to march on Parliament when the hīkoi mō te Tiriti reaches central Wellington on Tuesday, with commuters being warned to expect significant delays and university students told some classes will be moved online.
The scale of the hīkoi means the demonstration is set to dwarf the violent anti-Covid-19 protest which took over Parliament grounds in 2022. Its numbers could even surpass one of the country’s biggest ever Parliamentary protests from 20 years ago.
Authorities are warning the public of “widespread disruption” when the hīkoi arrives on Tuesday morning. Key roads are expected to be jammed, causing congestion on highways and arterial routes.
NZTA advises commuters heading into the city to plan ahead and check the latest information before travelling.
“Police will monitor activity by hīkoi groups on highways and roads to ensure the safety of all road users and people participating in the hīkoi. NZTA will support the response on highways where required.”
Victoria University told students and staff more than 30,000 were estimated to be taking part in the protest.
The hīkoi arrives along State Highway 5 at Eskdale, Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
“This volume of people means we should expect widespread disruption across the city including to both the morning and evening commutes and significant noise and activity around the Pipitea campus, along with an increased police presence.”
While the university was planning to remain open on Tuesday, students and staff may not be able to access facilities as usual.
“All classes on Tuesday at Pipitea campus for the Faculty of Law and Wellington School of Business and Government will be moved online.”
Arrangements for classes at other campuses would be advised in due course.
Increased security measures will also be in place at Parliament, and public tours will be cancelled on Monday and Tuesday.
Hīkoi participants march in Hamilton on day four of a journey to Wellington. Photo / Mike Scott
A parliamentary staff email said the hīkoi was expected to be peaceful and organisers had been working with the Speaker’s office to ensure it did not breach the rules for protests on Parliament grounds.
The hīkoi is protesting against Government policies, including the Treaty Principles Bill introduced by Act leader David Seymour. His contentious bill passed its first vote in Parliament on Thursday, but not before a fiery, impassioned debate that saw one Te Pāti Māori MP suspended, a senior Labour politician kicked out, and the entire public gallery cleared.
Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said the hīkoi is due to arrive at Porirua this afternoon, having started at Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Rēinga) last Monday.
He said police have been planning for the hīkoi’s arrival in Wellington over the last month, forecasting bigger numbers than the peak of 5000 people for the 2022 anti-mandate Covid-19 protest in the grounds of Parliament, and on a similar scale to the Seabed and Foreshore hīkoi two decades ago.
Police expect more people at Parliament than for the anti-madate Covid protest two years ago. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“It’s a metro city. We regularly have big gatherings and events in Wellington so the city is well placed to absorb that amount of population increase,” the city’s top cop said.
Public transport will be at capacity on Tuesday with extra buses to minimise disruption, and there’s very little available accommodation in the city.
“The key message to the public is to plan well ahead,” Parnell said.
The hīkoi arrives in Hastings, Hawke's Bay, for a march on Saturday. Photo / Davide Conti
He said people could reasonably expect some disruption on the main highways and roads to and from the CBD, saying there will be traffic management in place from 5am on Tuesday with roads shut off to traffic until people depart Parliament grounds in the afternoon.
Parnell said the hīkoi had been well-organised and the leadership is to be commended on the way it has conducted the event as it has travelled down the North Island.
“Our role is to ensure safe and peaceful travel … ultimately with minimal disruption to the public.”
Earlier today, State Highway 1 was blocked in both directions north of Wellington as the hīkoi headed south towards Parliament.
NZTA said the highway was congested and blocked between Tyne and Bath streets in Levin.
A pōwhiri was being held at 4pm today in Porirua, welcoming supporters of the demonstration.
Protesters also gathered today in New Plymouth, and close to 10,000 people marched on central Hastings and then down SH2 through Hawke’s Bay.
Police said there were no significant issues at Saturday’s march or the subsequent drive through Waipawa, Waipukurau and Dannevirke.
Today’s SH1 blockage follows widespread disruption in Auckland last week when thousands of hīkoi protesters marched across Auckland Harbour Bridge during the morning rush hour.
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