Whanganui protesters block roads, shut down court in response to anti-Māori policies

More than 250 protesters blocked traffic on Whanganui’s main highway on Tuesday morning in opposition to Government policies labelled anti-Māori.

Mass protests around the country following a call from Te Pāti Māori happened the same day as MPs were being sworn into Parliament.

Government policies such as a potential Treaty principles referendum, removing the Māori Health Authority, erasing Māori names from Crown entities and repealing co-governance were seen as “attacking Māori on many fronts”.

Iwi leader Ken Mair said protesting in Whanganui would remain passive and non-violent.

Traffic on State Highway 3 through the Pūtiki roundabout was halted by 250 protesters. Photo / Bevan Conley

The hīkoi in Whanganui began in Pākaitore reserve before moving to the Pūtiki roundabout where more than 250 protesters flooded State Highway 3, stopping traffic getting through.

Police supervised the traffic block, which lasted for around 30 minutes.

“I’m out here just like everyone else, to bring attention to the Government that their policies don’t sit right for us. We’re going to keep on doing this until there’s some changes,” protester Haarangi Harrison said.

Mair said this was “the first of many” protests to come.

“No ifs or buts about it, this is the first stage of many and, when we call, you can see that hundreds will turn out in Whanganui.

“This new Government has decided to attack us on many fronts, on te reo Māori, on the Treaty of Waitangi.”

Police supervised the traffic block, which lasted for around 30 minutes. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui’s new MP, National’s Carl Bates, said the Government was committed to improving the lives of Māori.

“Māori have gone backwards under Labour and we’re not going to keep on doing that, and we believe Māori deserve better than that.”

Bates said the Government was proud of te reo and bilingualism in New Zealand, but at the same time wanted to make it as easy as possible for every person in New Zealand to navigate public services.

“That doesn’t mean we’re anti-Māori.”

Whanganui-based historian Danny Keenan said Māori contribution to the national agribusiness economy ran in the millions of dollars, and all this was possible because of partnership agreements — or co-governance.

Māori had worked closely with governments and agencies, across a range of common interests such as the environment, business development, fishing, forestry and farming.

“Now, we have a new government which wants to roll all this back – and for what reason?”

Keenan said the Government’s policies would limit Māori participation.

“Given the achievements of recent decades such a concerted rollback makes absolutely no sense.”

Bates said the policies didn’t mean services for Māori would suffer.

“We’re about targeting services based on need, not based on race, and I think those two things need to be understood very separately.”

Mair said shutting down Whanganui District Court for the day was a systemic challenge to the court system.

“We’re not going to tolerate our people getting locked up continually in the large numbers that they are.”

Ministry of Justice chief operating officer Carl Crafar confirmed the Whanganui courthouse closed its doors to the public on Tuesday.

“The decision to close the court was made in conjunction with the judiciary, court management and police, due to protest activity around the building,” he said.

“Work is under way to reschedule some matters that were to be held today.”

Protester Dave Puohotaua said everything within Māoridom was being attacked by the new Government.

“They don’t want the Treaty, they don’t want anything to do with Māoridom, and they better wise up because we’re tangata whenua and we’ll always be here, we’ve been here for thousands of years and will continue for generations to come.”

Mair said the protest was sending a strong message to the Government against “racist rhetoric and race-baiting”.

“This has been going on for a long, long time, not just with this Government but previous ones as well.”

Hundreds of protesters also gathered at Pākaitore reserve on Monday night to fly Tino Rangatiratanga flags and set up a marquee for the protest.

Image 1 of 17: Te Pāti Māori protests - Day of action focuses on new government's Māori policies. Protesters leave Pākaitore - Moutoa Gardens and block SH3. Photo / Bevan Conley

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.