New Zealand: thousands protest against new government policies that unravel Māori gains
GuardianDEC 2023
Māori Haka Protest Against Treaty Bill in NZ Parliament, March to Capital Continues
Above: Thousands of marchers protesting Government policies affecting Māori, cross the Auckland Harbour Bridge on day three of a nine-day journey to Wellington on Nov. 13, 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand. Image copyright: Phil Walter/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
As pro-Māori protesters continue to march to Wellington, their representatives in parliament delivered a powerful and historic message in defiance of an outrageous attempt to erase Māori rights enshrined in New Zealand's founding document. This is an illegitimate bill that hopefully will fail its second reading.
Right narrative
Māori lawmakers turned New Zealand parliament into a circus with their premeditated and theatrical performance, scoring a political win against the Labour Party and dimming their hopes to regain Māori seats. Though all this mess effectively helps the right-wing, it was a sad day for Parliament and decorum.