On May 31st, the Maori political party, Te Pati Maori, issued a Declaration of Independence during a press conference in reaction to the release of the 2024 Budget.
Two party officials said the declaration, called Te Ngakau o Te Iwi Maori, will establish a Maori Parliament.
The parliament will be anchored in livelihood and create a safe home for all peoples, according to one party official. The official also highlighted that the declaration is not about “you or us, but we are saying it’s all of us.”
The officials said that the declaration is in reaction to New Zealand’s failure over the past 150 years to create systems that would uphold its promises to the Maori population.
