A rally lead by a prominent Maori leader against the Government's plans for asset sales drew a crowd of several hundred in Wellington on Wednesday.
An appeal to halt the Government's plan to sell shares in state owned power enterprises until Maori interest has been addressed was recently held in the Supreme Court.
The rally on the waterfront was lead by Wellington Tenths Trust managing trustee Peter Love, who was encouraging people to sign a petition against asset sales to help force a referendum.
The trust administers reserved lands on behalf of Maori owners.
Mr Love says more middle New Zealanders have to start voting in the next election to stop political parties with asset sales ambitions from being elected.
He said he is is planning a further rally against asset sales to be held on the steps of Parliament.
Maori Council co-chairman Maanu Paul told the crowd more needs to be done to fight against asset sales than signing a petition and rallying at a park.
He said people need to sit outside of Parliament and demand control of state-owned assets.
And he urged New Zealand First leader Winston Peters to take a members' bill to Parliament to stop the sales, saying he is the only politician with enough courage to do so.