Tāhunanui protest against Govt policies

Protestors from across Nelson-Tasman lined the footpath at the Tāhunanui Dr and Rocks Rd intersection this morning as part of nationwide protests against some government policies.

Spokesperson Tammie, who didn't want her last name used, says she would like Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to realise his government was “in for a fight” if they chose to proceed with its policies related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the removal of te reo Māori from government agencies.

"We're seeing Luxon, Seymour, and Peters destroy what is the fabric of our society, our mokopuna and our tamariki are seeing this, and I'm not going to standby and allow it happen,” she says.

"The removal of te reo is a starting point, so much has been put in to acknowledging te reo as a whole, and while Luxon's trying to say that he's pro-Māori, he's doing things that are proving to be anti-Māori.

“Seymour’s Treaty processes, doing the referendum is not a need nor a want at a time when we've come so far trying to gain Māori trust back in the government."

Tammie says the Nelson protest began at 7am and at one stage about 300 people had joined, before it concluded just before 9am.