- Parliament staff asked to work from home as mass protests plan to march to the grounds tomorrow.
- Police advise commuters to plan for disruptions due to a Māori hīkoi as the Government delivers its Budget tomorrow.
- Assistant Police Commissioner says officers will be highly visible across the roading network.
Parliamentary staff are being told to work from home tomorrow and police are urging people to allow extra travel time with a day of nationwide protests due to kick off early tomorrow.
Protesters are being urged to meet up around New Zealand from 6.30am in a national day of action with plans to disrupt key motorway routes and rallies at Parliament and downtown Auckland.
Te Pāti Māori alongside the Toitū Te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty) movement said in an online post that the action was intended to “prove the might of [the Māori] economy by disconnecting entirely from it”.
Police are urging people in metropolitan areas to allow extra time for their morning journeys with protesters planning to travel along key routes at rush hour.
There are also calls for Māori workers and students to walk out and join in with the protest action.
Police are asking commuters to hit the road early and avoid the peak-hour protests planned for tomorrow morning.
Protest organiser Eru Kapa-Kingi, from Toitū Te Tiriti said protest motorists in Auckland will converge on to the Northwestern, Southern and Northern motorways from 6.30am to try to accomplish maximum disruption.
On the North Shore, the group plans to meet at the Palmers Albany Garden Centre at 6.30am. In South Auckland, they will meet at the same time at the Z petrol station in Karaka. They will both travel on State Highway 1.
Traffic on SH20 will also be impacted by protesters who will begin their slow-moving journey at the BP petrol station in Hobsonville.
All groups will be travelling towards the city for a rally at Aotea Square at 11am led by Dave Letele. The group will then march down Queen St.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mike Johnson said they were working to manage the right to protest and people’s rights to go about their daily business.
“Officers will be highly visible across the roading network throughout the morning and, in some locations, will put measures in place to prevent participants putting themselves and motorists in harm’s way,” Johnson said.
Protesters in Palmerston North are meeting at Te Marae o Hine before travelling slowly by car on SH56 and then on to SH57 to Waikane.
From there they will train to Wellington to join protesters will meet at the Wellington Railway Station before marching on Parliament before the 2pm Budget 2024 announcement.
Police are also warning Rotorua residents to expect major traffic disruption from 6.30am to 9am.
Hikoi are planned in the following areas:
- Whangārei, Farmer’s car park, 9am.
- Kaitāia, Commerce St, 9am.
- Christchurch, Bridge of Remembrance, 11am.
- Nelson, Church steps, 12.30am.
- Dunedin, Queens Gardens, 12pm.
- Hamilton, Kirikiriroa Marae, 7.30am.
- Matamata, Matamata Woolworths, 6.45am.
- Te Puaha, Weraroa Marae, 8.30am.
- Hauraki, Victoria Park, 12pm.
- Tūranganui a Kiwa, Heipipi Park, 7am.
- Hastings, Hastings Clock Tower, 7am.
- Wairarapa, Masterton Town Hall, 12pm.
- Hāwera, Hāwera Netball Courts, 10.30am.
- Tokoroa. Leith Pl, 8am.
- Tauranga, Whareroa Reserve, 8am.
- Whakatāne, SH30, 7.30am.
- Ōpōtiki, Waioweka bridge, 7am.
- Taupō, Lake Terrace, 8am.
- Tūrangi, Tūrangi town centre, 9am.
- Rotorua, Lake Rd intersection, Old Taupō Rd, Fenton St and Sala St, 7am.
Eru Kapa-Kingi said “delaying a few people’s trips to work was nothing compared to the daily disruption this Government had on Māori”.
“We are the rangatira of this whenua and will act as we always have. We will act with the grace of our tikanga and sternness embedded in our mana,” Kapa-Kingi told the Herald.
National Secretary of the Public Service Association Kerry Davis said every worker - including public servants - has the right to protest tomorrow.
“It is not surprising that many groups are looking to protest the actions of this Government given their reckless approach to making cuts in the public services we all rely on and their disregard for Te Titiri o Waitangi,” Davis said.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell has condemned the planned “unlawful protest” action tomorrow.
“I’ve been very clear with the commissioner that my expectations are that law-abiding Kiwis going about their daily business, their rights are protected above those who choose to break the law,” Mitchell said.
He told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that it is “absolutely illegal”.
In December, thousands marched on Parliament.
Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
