Maori sovereignty flag to fly on Waitangi Day

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Mon, 14 Dec 2009 5:57p.m.

(NZPA)

(NZPA)

By Rachel Morton

The Maori tino rangatiratanga flag will fly from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Premier House and other government buildings on Waitangi Day.

Prime Minister John Key announced the decision this afternoon.

However the decision does not have full support from Maori, and the flag may not fly on the official flagpole at the Waitangi treaty grounds.

The tino rangatiratanga flag is a symbol of Maori rights, but come next year it will be used to symbolise the partnership between the Crown and Maori as it flies alongside the New Zealand flag.

"We're flying a flag alongside the New Zealand flag," says Mr Key. "We're doing it on a day that's very special in New Zealand's history and we're doing it as a symbolism of partnership and hope and of what modern day New Zealand looks like."

The decision comes after consultation with the Maori Party.

There were four flags Maori could have chosen. Twelve hundred submissions were made, and 80 percent voted on the flag that many see as symbolising activism and sovereignty.

"If you go and ask a lot of Maori groups what they mean by that, they would say self-determination for the issues that matter to them - it doesn't mean completely separate government," says Mr Key.

Despite it being discussed by Cabinet, the Maori flag hasn't been given any official status, and although it will fly on Waitangi Day it may not fly at the Waitangi grounds.

Mr Key admits it doesn't have unanimous support from Maoridom.

"It was 80 percent support, not 100 percent support in various hui, and there'll always be some, certainly those in the Far North who feel very strongly about the United Tribes flag and others."

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples though believes eventually that will happen, and that this is a step forward in race relations.

"Flags are like a symbol of rallying, being strong and what this shows is that the Goverment is recognising a relationship with tangata whenua."

Mr Key says he has weighed up the risks and he accepts some Pakeha may have some trepidation about the Maori sovereignty flag flying, but he hopes this will become a symbol of the nation maturing.

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Comments

20 Feb 2011 07:02p.m.

JOHN RU ALMOND wrote:

to whom it may concern

god save the queen for she is ones protector and teach me the law so one may better engage the enemy.
"ignorance of the law is no excuse for any offence committed", CRIMES ACT 1961, s25.
all lies are discoverable and all codes can be broken.
any question where the accurate truth needs to be discovered regarding any issue can also be answered.
do the due dilligence because a known trap can be avoided.
all other discussion is mere rhetoric.
when one knows and understands the law which is factual, impersonal and objective then there are no 'maori', 'pakeha' or other emotive considerations when examining an issue, only the remedy, solution or answer to a question.
riddle me this, who 'owns' your PERSON?

john ru

02 Mar 2010 11:00a.m.

Bonnie-Maria Williams wrote:

To those whom this concerns we as Maori dont celebrate Waitangi day oh really who wants to celebrate the saddest day in Aotearoa just the new settlers and immigrants.(says alot)We as the new and future generations of Aotearoa were taught to learn off these new and very strange cultures as did our ancestors unfortunately they were subjected to dishonesty and crimminal acts and for what did the rest of the world run out of land.Why dont the greedy just leave the indigenous alone we survived much better when left alone we didnt need technology we survived thats why we are still here in Aotearoa ad we are networking to become part of the wider world at large. KIA KAHA

16 Dec 2009 01:52p.m.

cherie wrote:

Jan I was commenting on the person who posted the comment under the name Proof.
It might pay you to read the other pages to stop looking so foolish

15 Dec 2009 03:53p.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Cherie identify yourself and your viking if you have none of the above shut your cob..

15 Dec 2009 02:26p.m.

cherie wrote:

"proof" and your statement means what exactly?
You don't want to go down that path sunshine think of all the white priests.
Some of you come up with some dopey statemets.

15 Dec 2009 01:09p.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Dude the real issue here is the flags read Obiwan comment he is not far from the truth and there is a story behind it..I am proud of the Maori flag and who could blame you to whever you come from where you wouldn't want the Maori flag flying in your own country..by the way dude regardless bare it in mind that this is MAORI COUNTRY and is now known worldwide where we will bring world justice to all crimes committed by the terrorist now the country receiving more death police officer shot another humanbeing while we are watching the terro terrorising our country..

15 Dec 2009 09:30a.m.

Obiwan wrote:

the more flags, the better, including the Dutch flag, for naming New Zealand.
And nowthat the Maori claim a sovereignty flag, they can apologise officially to the Dutch for murdering some of Abel Tasman's crew, followed by due compensation.

15 Dec 2009 09:26a.m.

Barney wrote:

I heard Hamish Keith attempting to explain what the flag symbolised. What drivel. All it stands for is what Hone Harawira rants about. Seperate rights from other NZers and financial support from those NZers based on skin colour.
Personally I think it should fly on all jails, Winz offices, hospitals, pubs and schools. Adopting it as the flag for the whole country would confuse them. We aren't a flag flying nation anyway. Flags on private homes and property are very rare.

15 Dec 2009 09:14a.m.

dude wrote:

That Hori flag only represents a small minority of loser Maori that are whitey haters, but continue to live of us and our technology, why instaed cant they just thank us for all we have given them, if the Dutch or the French came here instead of the English and colinised them they would have probably wiped them out as they were to tired to be slaves.

15 Dec 2009 08:39a.m.

Chris wrote:

There are no maori left, so why do the people claiming to be maori get extra money for free? I agree with Glenn in predicting a very bad future for this country, exactly like all the other ones when the government divides people into a group (religion, wealth, real race or not). Better leave now while we are still allowed to.