Thousands of New Zealand Maori meet to discuss response to government plans
Wellington, New Zealand Reuters More than 10,000 New Zealand Maori congregated in the central North Island on Saturday to discuss how to respond to government plans that are seen by many Indigenous groups as undermining their rights and status. Maori King Tuheitia, who hosted the event, told attendees their voices matter but it was not […]
New Zealanders gather across country to protest new policies
Wellington, New Zealand Reuters Thousands of protesters gathered in New Zealand’s city squares, motorway over-bridges and in front of the country’s parliament on Tuesday to protest the new government’s policies that they believe are racist. The protest action was called for by political party Te Pati Maori and coincides with the opening of New Zealand’s […]
New Zealand’s Chris Hipkins sworn in as Prime Minister
Wellington, New Zealand Reuters Labour leader Chris Hipkins was sworn in as New Zealand’s Prime Minister in a formal ceremony on Wednesday, following the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week. The Labour party elected former COVID-19 Response and Police minister Hipkins, 44, to lead the party and the country on Sunday. This […]
New Zealand’s Ardern labels anti-vaccine mandate protests ‘imported’ as crowds defy calls to leave
Wellington, New ZealandReuters New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday she felt demonstrations against a COVID-19 vaccine mandate now entering their second week were an “imported” phenomenon, and nothing like anything she had seen before in the country. Hundreds of protesters continue to occupy lawns in front of the distinctive ‘Beehive’ parliament for […]
New Zealand to halt removal of “at risk” children from families
Wellington, New ZealandReuters New Zealand said on Wednesday it will put a virtual halt to the practice of taking at-risk children away from their families, a care policy that has long angered its Indigenous Maori community. Children deemed to be facing harm have been moved into state care for decades despite Maori criticism that the […]
StrangeSights: $1 houses in Italy; centuries old spectacles auctioned in NZ; and, an accidental invasion…
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New Zealand’s Indigenous Maori protest over “stolen children”
Reuters Wellington, New ZealandReuters Thousands of Maori people protested across New Zealand on Tuesday calling for an end to the practice of taking at-risk children away from their families, as tensions grow between the Indigenous community and the government. Children facing harm have been moved into state care for decades despite criticism from many Maori […]
Christians in New Zealand gather to pray at nation’s Parliament amid concerns over Parliamentary prayer
Christians in New Zealand are gathering to pray in the nation’s capital of Wellington on Tuesday after concerns that the name ‘Jesus Christ’ will be removed from the prayer said at the opening of Parliament. Removal of mentions of Jesus and Queen Elizabeth II from Parliament’s Te Reo karakia or prayer were mooted by Parliament’s […]