9 May 2000

NEW ZEALANDERS SUPPORT CHANGES TO WAITANGI DAY

New Zealanders support his call for changes to Waitangi Day, says United New Zealand leader, Hon Peter Dunne.

Mr Dunne was commenting on the results of a special opinion poll commissioned by United New Zealand on his Aotearoa New Zealand Day Bill which goes before Parliament tomorrow.

The poll, of 500 people living in the 15 major population centres, showed that 34% of respondents opposed Mr Dunne’s plan to rename Waitangi Day Aotearoa New Zealand Day and celebrate it on the Monday nearest to February 6th.

However, those who supported both changes; or one of them, were just over 62%.

Maori were almost evenly divided – 49% opposed both changes, but just over 50% were in favour of one or all of the changes.

“These results show clearly New Zealanders are deeply uneasy and divided about the way we presently celebrate our national day.”

“My Bill is an important step towards attempting to resolve this division and create a genuine national day of which all can be proud.”

“The clear message for Parliament is that this is an issue to be discussed further and widely, and that my Bill should therefore be allowed to go to a select committee for consideration, rather than buried as too hard” he says.

ENDS

New Zealand’s Liberal Party

MEDIA STATEMENT
HON PETER DUNNE, MP
LEADER UNITED NEW ZEALAND
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 1.
Ph(04)471 9410 or (025) 469 808. Fax (04)499 7266.
e-mail: peter.dunne@parliament.govt.nz. Internet Address: http://www.united.org.nz

© Scoop Media