Maree’s Mosaics Art

06/02/2026

❤️

19/01/2026

26/12/2025

😡

“Beyond Saddened”: A Year Māori Say Has Stripped Away Rights, Voice and Recognition

For many Māori, the past year has not just been difficult — it has felt devastating. A wave of law changes has swept through Parliament, and critics say the damage is cumulative, deliberate, and deeply felt. Protections once designed to recognise whakapapa, tikanga and Treaty partnership have been weakened or removed, leaving communities feeling sidelined in their own land.

Child welfare reforms no longer require strong consideration of whānau and whakapapa. Marine and coastal law changes have retrospectively stripped customary titles already won in court. Health and environmental reforms have diluted Māori decision-making, eroding co-governance and hard-fought equity gains.

All of this has unfolded against a political backdrop where Winston Peters has repeatedly stated that “no Māori or any other New Zealander should receive extra treatment,” framing equality as sameness rather than fairness. For Māori leaders, that philosophy ignores history, ignores Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and ignores the lived reality of inequality.

This is why so many describe the year as “beyond saddened.” It’s not about special treatment — it’s about honouring promises, protecting identity, and ensuring Māori are not pushed backwards after generations of progress. As anger, grief and resistance grow, one thing is certain: Māori voices are not fading quietly.

29/07/2023

21/07/2023

Interesting

13/07/2023

Reality check

13/07/2023

Cool ideA

06/07/2023