Life And Society / Te Ao Maori

Petition launched to make Matariki a public holiday

05:49 am on 21 May 2020

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More than two and half thousand people have signed a petition calling on the government to make Matariki a public holiday. Campaigner Laura O'Connell-Rapira launched the petition after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the government's considering more public holidays to help encourage domestic tourism. And with the Maori new year coming up, she says now is the perfect time for us to get a day off for Matariki. She joins me now