Quick Read
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s Waitangi Day speech was met with heckles and pointed questions from protesters.
- Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour controversially stated that colonisation had been “beneficial for Māori.”
- New Zealand First leader Winston Peters engaged in heated exchanges with hecklers during his address.
- Discussions at Waitangi highlighted deep divisions over Treaty interpretations and the Ngāpuhi settlement.
- Internal dynamics within Te Pāti Māori and other Māori political shifts were also evident during the events.
WAITANGI (Azat TV) – New Zealand’s Waitangi Day on February 5, 2026, was marked by a tense and politically charged atmosphere as government officials, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, faced significant protests and persistent heckling during the annual pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) at Te Whare Rūnanga. The contentious exchanges underscored deep-seated divisions over the interpretation of the Treaty of Waitangi, the government’s approach to Māori issues, and the ongoing pace of Treaty settlements, setting a challenging tone for engagement between the Crown and Māori communities.
Amidst a heavy police presence and a ‘live-wire political mood,’ protesters vocalized their dissent, attempting to disrupt speeches with chants and interjections. The events at Waitangi highlighted the ongoing struggles for tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) and mana motuhake (autonomy), reflecting persistent Māori grievances with state policy and historical injustices.
Political Confrontations at Waitangi
The day began with a pōwhiri that quickly turned confrontational, as a group of around 50 protesters gathered near the flagstaff, chanting loudly. Security personnel worked to prevent them from getting too close to the government representatives, who were welcomed by the haukainga (local people). The visible dissent continued as politicians delivered their addresses, with hecklers attempting to derail speeches.
Waitangi National Trust chief executive Ben Dalton, a former protester himself, expressed satisfaction that politicians ‘actually had a chance to speak’ this year, despite the disruptions. Dalton, who stated he was against trespassing protesters, credited local groups like Te Tai Tokerau Border Control and the waka crew for helping to de-escalate the situation, noting that many of the most vocal protesters were from Te Hiku.
Luxon and Seymour’s Contentious Remarks
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s anticipated speech paid tribute to past leaders and acknowledged recent severe weather events in the region. He affirmed the government’s ‘deeply committed’ stance on continuing work on Treaty settlements and promoting devolution for iwi. However, his address was met with jeers and pointed questions from the crowd, including references to his earlier distribution of KFC to storm volunteers. Luxon acknowledged the ‘very heated’ atmosphere, emphasizing the importance of ‘lively debate’ while urging for differences to be managed ‘without tearing the house down.’
Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party, drew significant attention and criticism by reiterating his long-held belief that colonisation had been ‘beneficial for Māori.’ Seymour argued that even the poorest New Zealanders were ‘well off’ by global standards, citing access to healthcare, housing, and childcare. When challenged about his own living standards, he controversially replied that he lived ‘like a slave.’ His remarks were met with the blowing of a pūtātara (conch shell) and the singing of ‘Ngā Iwi E’ by parts of the crowd, which initially drowned out the waiata tautoko (song of support) for Seymour.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters also adopted a combative tone, clashing directly with hecklers during his pōwhiri address. Peters, who stated he ‘didn’t come here to speak about politics,’ pushed back sharply against interruptions, at one point engaging in a heated exchange with a man in the crowd. He concluded his speech with a pointed warning to critics: ‘There’ll come a time very soon when you’ll want to talk more with me and my party than I’ll want to talk with you.’
In contrast, Labour leader Chris Hipkins focused on unity, acknowledging the challenges faced by Māori MPs and speaking about ‘kotahitanga’ and ‘manaakitanga.’ Māori-Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka, speaking in te reo Māori, reaffirmed the Treaty as a foundational document and paid tribute to retiring Labour MP Peeni Henare.
Ngāpuhi Settlement and Broader Treaty Debates
The discussions at Waitangi also brought renewed focus to the long-stalled Ngāpuhi settlement. Treaty negotiations minister Paul Goldsmith reiterated the Crown’s preference for a single financial settlement for Ngāpuhi, complemented by multiple strands of cultural redress, including land returns. Goldsmith signaled urgency, expressing a desire to ‘go faster,’ despite ongoing disagreements within the iwi over who holds a clear mandate to negotiate. Many Ngāpuhi leaders, however, maintained that progress without a unified mandate risks repeating past failures, highlighting the complex and fraught path to settlement.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson criticized the government for ‘trampling’ on te Tiriti and te taiao (the environment), advocating for land to be returned. Prominent activist Eru Kapa-Kingi delivered a fiery speech, stating the government had ‘stabbed us in the front,’ while past governments ‘stabbed us in the back,’ and criticized both Labour and Te Pāti Māori for their approaches to Māori issues.
Māori Political Landscape Shifts
Waitangi Day 2026 also saw significant internal Māori political dynamics play out. Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, an expelled but temporarily reinstated Te Pāti Māori MP, reaffirmed her commitment to serving Te Tai Tokerau. There was also a notable interaction where Kapa-Kingi reportedly told Kiri Tamihere-Waititi, wife of Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, to ‘hoki atu’ (go back). Rawiri Waititi later addressed the crowd, acknowledging Eru Kapa-Kingi’s anger and urging unity within Māori political movements to ensure the Treaty is embedded in law.
Further shifts in the Māori political landscape included the announcement that former Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris would seek re-election as an independent in Te Tai Tonga, and the Green Party confirming Tania Waikato, a prominent Treaty activist, as their candidate for the Māori electorate of Waiariki.
The heightened tensions and direct confrontations at Waitangi Day 2026 underscore the growing urgency and complexity of addressing historical grievances and contemporary Māori aspirations within New Zealand’s political framework, indicating that the path towards reconciliation and equitable partnership remains deeply contested.