Government representative events planned nationwide.
The Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has announced he will not attend Waitangi Day celebrations at the Treaty Grounds next year, marking a change in tradition for the event. Instead, he plans to join other regional celebrations around the country.
As part of his decision, Mr Luxon met with iwi leaders in Wellington, discussing areas where the government and Māori are already working together, including health, housing, infrastructure, and climate adaptation. He expressed his support for the significant work being done by iwi throughout New Zealand and acknowledged opportunities to collaborate further.
The government has made notable investments in Māori initiatives over the past year, including partnering with Whanau Ora on vaccinations, funding 20 Iwi-led projects, investing in affordable housing, and advancing eight Treaty settlements. Details of Mr Luxon's planned Waitangi Day celebration location will be announced closer to the event.