April 09, 2024
School strike fair call for rangatahi
Manurewa MP Arena Williams says last week’s wave of youth protests show rangatahi are advocating for their futures.
Protests led by School Strike 4 Climate, Toitū Te Tiriti, and Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa were held in 18 towns and cities drawing together issues like the oil exploration ban, the fast track approval bill, lowering the voting age to 16, and Israel’s attacks on Palestine.
Ms Williams says she attended the Auckland protest at Albert Park at the invitation of students from Manurewa High School, and was impressed with the collective unity among Māori and rangatahi protestors of what they saw as interconnected issues.
“The kinds of changes this Government is making, not only to climate change legislation but to our environment is also going to affect Maori. It’s going to affect these young students who were also Māori in Manurewa high school. And it goes to this broader issue, which is how governments in New Zealand should be making decisions.
Ms Williams says the Government is making calls on intergenerational issues and so can expect push back from those who may end up more affected.
ACT leader and Associate Education Minister Seymour said it was “unacceptable” for students to protest during school hours and they should be marked absent by schools.