Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at Rātana. File photo
Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The annual celebration of the church s late founder, Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana, is closed to political parties and manuhiri this year, as the church grapples with internal arguments.
It s only the second time the Labour Party won t be at Rātana in the 84-year history of their alliance - however, some Labour MPs with ties to the church will attend.
While the Rātana Church was established in 1925, it began as a political movement.
Church leader Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana sought redress for land confiscations and breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, founding his own political party in 1919.
ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern sits down with Stuff political editor Luke Malpass to review the year that was.
OPINION: Let’s ask the big political question of 2021. Has Jacinda Ardern’s Government got the will to be bold, to take risks even at the expense of some of its popularity, to tackle and resolve the biggest issues facing our country? Or will it continue to be directionless, timid, and afraid to court criticism and risk its poll ratings, and thereby let the disease of poverty and despair go unaddressed? Covid-19 aside, by biggest issues I mean the housing crisis, child poverty and climate change. Others would add mental health and economic recovery to that list.
Deep in basements beneath Mulgrave St, archivist Shaun McGuire winches a cog that opens towering rows of what are known as stacks – giant shelving units weighing as much as buses and holding any type of archive you can imagine. The basements are filled with these units after a 1952 blaze at a Dixon St office saw a treasure trove of government archives incinerated. Back then, archives were erratically stored around the city, and the inferno led to the creation of a national archive to safeguard the country’s records.
MONIQUE FORD/Stuff
Archives New Zealand holds hundreds of thousands of physical records, equating to more than 271 kilometres.
The day is often referred to as the start of the political year, where leaders announce promises (sometimes even policies) and do their best to convince followers of the faith, known as the Morehu, that they have Māori interests at the heart of their decision-making. More importantly, it’s an opportunity for Māori to air their frustrations and offer viewpoints and solutions for the many systems failing their people in this country on a daily basis.
Newsroom understands the Prime Minister’s office, Labour MP and Rātana descendant Adrian Rurawhe and Labour MP Rino Tirikatene have been heavily involved in hui to try find a way to keep the political day on track.
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