Overview

• More than 40,000 people participated in a hīkoi, or walking protest, culminating in a rally outside New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington to oppose the Treaty Principles Bill.
• The proposed bill, introduced by the ACT New Zealand party, seeks to narrowly reinterpret the Treaty of Waitangi, a foundational 1840 agreement between the British Crown and Māori chiefs.
• Critics, including Māori leaders and legal experts, argue the bill would erode Māori rights and self-determination, reigniting debates over Indigenous sovereignty and justice.
• The bill has passed a preliminary vote but is unlikely to become law, as key coalition partners have stated they will not support it beyond the first reading.
• The protests included traditional Māori haka performances, with Māori MPs disrupting Parliament in opposition to the bill, highlighting the deep cultural and political tensions surrounding the issue.