“History shows it’s never good when they start burning books and this sounds unenlightened and anti-intellectual. What we need is more enlightened debate and not the 21st-century version of book burning.”
Taipari said at 6pm, Parliament will hear the third reading of the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Bill (Maca) and it seemed right for Kiwis to burn the bill to light fires on their beaches to symbolise the mana and the ihi me te wehi (fear) is still strong.
Kōrero, waiata and karakia (speeches, songs and prayers) will be conducted until the appropriate time to cast a copy of the Maca bill into the fire to conclude the gathering.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith.
Organisers are calling people to vigilant and stay safe.
“Find strength in this moment of solidarity that the raupatu [confiscation] of our takutaimoana [coast, foreshore and seabed] will never be extinguished,” Taipari said.
Taipari said the initiative came from a Te Tai Tokerau kuia to continue the country’s abhorrence to the legislation.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith, the bill’s author, said: “People are entitled to protest as they will.”
The Maca bill was proposed by the Government to tighten the legal test for Māori to gain customary marine title (CMT).
Northland elder Ruben Taipari who arrived at Parliament last week with 20,000 strong petition opposing the Government’s Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Bill.
“We have been opposing this Maca bill for 12 months and last week took our petition to Wellington,” Taipari said.
“We got back North and thought we still have the third reading on Tuesday night, so thought what else could we do.
“Rather than do a hīkoi and expend energy on a national hīkoi, to a Government who don’t listen to the people, we decided to create awareness at home amongst people not to lose hope.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Act leader David Seymour.
“Burn the bill is symbolism. When ever we were under attack, our kaitiaki [guardians/trustees] would light fires to say the enemy is approaching.
“That’s what we are doing tonight and using our cultural connections and why 21 years later it is still an important issue for us.”
Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and before joining NZME worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.