Waitangi Day in New Zealand is marked by controversy as Māori leaders condemn a proposed bill to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi, sparking protests and political tensions.

The bill’s architect, David Seymour, met with protests at Waitangi marae — a Māori meeting house — during speeches by political leaders on Wednesday, as he made a fresh pitch for the law. The measures are widely derided and prompted tens of thousands of people to march on Parliament in Wellington last November.

Politicians are being welcomed at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds on Wednesday. The Parliamentary pōwhiri is a chance each year for politicians to have their say, and for the hau kāinga - home people - and te ao Māori, to respond.

Thousands gathered across New Zealand on Thursday to celebrate the signing of the country’s founding document and some called for an end to government policies that critics say erode the rights promised to the Indigenous Maori population.

Thousands gathered across New Zealand yesterday to celebrate the signing of the country’s founding document and some called for an end to government policies that critics say erode the rights promised to the indigenous Maori population.