Ngapuhi factions say PM John Key used his Waitangi Day speech as a platform to prematurely force a historic settlement with Ngapuhi in election year for political gain.

The Governor-General believes protesters "disrespected" his role but not him as an individual during an altercation outside the whare at Te Tii Marae at Waitangi today.

It's among the most significant places in NZ, but the historic treaty grounds at Waitangi are struggling to get schoolchildren through the gates.

A round trip to the Bay of Islands ticks all the boxes for Donna McIntyre.

At Waitangi, a light-hearted church service led by the country's politicians and iwi leaders kicked off the day's events this morning, followed by kapa haka and waka activities. Some members of the community also took part in an anti-violence hikoi. Elsewhere, Kiwis are celebrating Waitangi Day by soaking up the sun with friends and family.

A Waitangi elder has used the opening of a historic Waitangi Tribunal hearing to call on the Government to buy back private land in the Bay of Islands so it can be returned to hapu.

Astoush over the upcoming auction of mobile spectrum could now go before the Waitangi Tribunal after the Government said it would not set any aside for Maori.

A light-hearted church service led by the country's politicians and iwi leaders has kicked off Waitangi Day.

Waitangi Trust launches fundraising drive because it receives no taxpayer money.

The Government's water rights consultation hui is not robust or long enough, according to Ngati Maniapoto leaders.

The Maori King and the Prime Minister drew the battle lines, with the former saying "Maori'' and the latter saying "No One''. Today, two legal academics explore the deep currents that lie beneath each claim.

In our second debate on the Electoral Commission's recommendations for MMP, Graeme Edgeler and Muriel Newman put the arguments for and against reducing the threshold. Join the debate and leave your comments at the end.

Today the Government meets with Tainui to start negotiations over the partial privatisation of Mighty River. Iwi interests can still be served without the unfair 'shares plus' scheme.

Tame Iti and his colleagues weren't the only ones on trial for the past five weeks. The terrorism claims in the still-unresolved Urewera case have revealed deep divisions over Maori and Pakeha