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The Labour Party has promised to make Matariki a public holiday from 2022 if re-elected - in what would be the first new public holiday in nearly 50 years. Earlier this year nearly 35 thousand people signed a petition calling for Matariki to become a public holiday, after Jacinda Ardern said the government was considering more public holidays to encourage domestic tourism. National, ACT, New Zealand First and the Employers and Manufacturers Association say it's a bad move for businesses though, and it should replace a current public holidays instead. But news that the Maori New Year could become a public holiday has been welcomed by many - including Dr Rangi Matamua, who's a senior academic at the University of Waikato and a lecturer in Maori Astronomy. He also wrote the book 'Matariki the star of the year' and he spoke with Indira Stewart.