Most of the rudeness is orchestrated by a minority group of radical extremists including by certain members of the Legacy media who spread untruths, and we’ve mentioned a few of them before. The clip(s) of TPM who these members belong to — a Party which had 3% support in the 2023 elections — behaving this way in Parliament have spread around the world.
ACT Leader David Seymour addresses the powhiri on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, 2025. A protester removes David’s microphone, but that doesn’t stop him from getting across his message: the Treaty “partnership” isn’t working, and identity politics won’t solve our shared problems. The text of this speech is available at http://www.act.org.nz/powhiri_address
Two years ago, when David attended Waitangi, he set out his three goals for the Treaty, and these goals and promises remain the same today:
- To cherish the Māori language and culture.
- To put right the wrongs of the past.
- To give every child an equal chance to flourish.
This year, during David’s speech, his microphone was cut off twice, people turned their backs, and some tried to drown him out by singing over him.
It’s the same pattern as always—there’s always a grievance, always someone to direct anger toward. The justification is always the same—frustration and outrage—this time over the Treaty Principles Bill.
But what’s often overlooked is that disagreement doesn’t have to come with disrespect. Being on opposite sides of a debate doesn’t make rudeness acceptable.
It’s easy to forget that while Waitangi is often politicised, it doesn’t have to be. It should be a day to celebrate being a New Zealander, not a day to feel ashamed of it.
Some people have said that ACT wants to take away their mana, their reo, and their culture. But all we’ve asked is a simple question:
Should New Zealand be a country where every citizen, no matter their ancestry, has the same political rights?
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Other news
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| ONLINE PORTAL FOR COVID-19 INQUIRY OPENS Minister of Internal Affairs, Brooke van Velden, has announced the launch of an online portal allowing the public to submit their experiences to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned. “The portal is an easy way for members of the public to have their say to the Inquiry about how the response to the COVID-19 pandemic affected them, their families, and their businesses.” – Brooke van Velden Phase 2 of the Inquiry will examine: The use of vaccines Lockdowns Testing Public health materials  Have your say today! Submit your experience here |
| HIPKINS MUST RULE OUT TE PĀTI MĀORI’S ATTEMPT TO BREAK DEMOCRACY At Waitangi, Te Pāti Māori reiterated their demand that The Treaty of Waitangi be at the centre of all government decision-making. This includes the creation of a Parliamentary Commissioner for Te Tiriti, with the power to hold the Crown accountable for its obligations. But if breaking democracy is a bottom line for Te Pāti Māori, then Labour and the Greens must rule out any chance of forming a Government with them. Otherwise, they’ll pay the price at the ballot box. The question is – will Labour and the Greens officially rule out working with Te Pāti Māori on policies that undermine democratic decision-making? New Zealand voters deserve an answer. |
ACT seem to be the only ones with respect for the people who voted them in and actually bothering to listen to the voters! The rudeness shown to David Seymour says more about the protesters that him. Remember it is these kinds of people who wants to take over NZ. God help the rest of us if that happens!
THe hate brigade will never stop. Best do a Trump and stop all aid to them
What do folk think of Seymour’s ties to the Atlas Network that he denies?