Weekly Catchup w/ The Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March November 13, 2024

This week marks the start of Hīkoi mō te Tiriti, the 9-day long Hīkoi to Parliament in opposition to the Treaty Principles bill, and other government policies impacting Māori.

The Hīkoi began at Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of Aotearoa, and will continue onwards until the Hīkoi reaches parliament in Wellington.

ACT party leader, David Seymour, says the bill aims the bill recognises the rights of Iwi and Hapu in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, but will include additional clauses that he says will ensure that the rights of all New Zealanders are equally protected. 

However, numerous critics, experts and Māori says that the bill aims to rewrite and reinterpret the principles of Te Tiriti to diminish the rights of tangata whenua.

Oto spoke to the Green Party’s Ricardo Menendez-March to discuss the Hīkoi, as well as the party’s view on the Treaty principles bill.

They also had a discussion about the government's apology to victims of abuse in State and faith-based care institutions, as well as the implications of Donald Trump’s election for New Zealand.