UPDATED 2.23pm:Â Labour leader Andrew Little and Labour MPs were left standing outside the Te Tii Marae gates in the rain when the Green Party went on ahead of them.
The Opposition parties were to be welcomed on at the same time, but instead the Greens were taken on for a separate powhiri.
That resulted in Labour standing in the rain for an hour.
Although they were not to talk politics on the marae, they were happy to show their colours -- the Labour group was a blaze of Labour-branded umbrellas and flags.
Andrew Little has since given a speech inside the marae, but it wasn't open to media.
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Meanwhile, the Maori Party is carefully negotiating its divided loyalties, between supporting National, and advocating for Ngapuhi.
Prime Minister John Key pulled out of attending celebrations at Te Tii Marae for Waitangi this year, but Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell is still there.
Mr Flavell was at the marae to listen to the powhiri, having been welcomed on before the Prime Minister's decision to pull out.
He said the only person to criticise him has been activist Kingi Taurua, who later retracted his comments.
"Mr Taurua, having had a discussion with him, has recognised that I have been here for the last three days, and I did go to kawe mate on his marae. He wasn't present at the time."
Mr Flavell said locals aren’t happy about John Key’s absence.
"Both from the people here, to have that opportunity to engage, but also for the Prime Minister to give his statement. Basically for the last couple of days there's been an element of chaos."
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A literal as well as a figurative dampener at Waitangi took the fizz out of protests.
A small number of protesters have turned up at Waitangi.
Cook reported it had been raining on and off.
"We're hoping it doesn't get any worse than that, particularly in relation to the Dawn Service which is notorious for being very cold, and if it's very cold and very wet and doesn't have a government representative, it will be very interesting to see what sort of turnout they get."
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