New Zealand Day Act 1973
Encyclopedia
The New Zealand Day Act 1973 made the sixth of February a public holiday
in New Zealand
. The day had been known for some time as Waitangi Day
and commemorated the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi
. In 1960 the first Waitangi Day Act
was passed enabling any area of the country to substitute a Waitangi Day holiday for its provincial anniversary day. This was done for Northland in 1963.
Labour
's Māori Affairs spokesperson, Matiu Rata
, had introduced a New Zealand Day Bill in 1971 but this was not passed. Labour won the 1972 election
and subsequently introduced another New Zealand Day Bill, which passed in 1973. The creation of a new public holiday was part of the Third Labour Government
's programme of creating a distinct New Zealand identity. Before this act was passed, New Zealand had no real 'national day'. New Zealand Day was intended to create a greater sense of pride and unity amongst New Zealanders.
The decision to call the day New Zealand Day rather than Waitangi Day
was made by various people within the government, including Prime Minister
Norman Kirk
and his Minister of Māori Affairs
Matiu Rata
. They felt that the name New Zealand Day would emphasise that the day was New Zealand's national day, and that it was for all New Zealanders, not just Māori. It may have also been intended to divert attention away from the Treaty of Waitangi
, which had been the subject of Māori protests at Waitangi Day
in the years before 1973. Many Māori, including the Māori Women's Welfare League
, were unhappy with the change of name. The name was changed back by the Third National Government
in 1976, in the Waitangi Day Act 1976, which repealed the New Zealand Day Act.
Public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year....
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The day had been known for some time as Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:...
and commemorated the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
. In 1960 the first Waitangi Day Act
Waitangi Day Act
There have been two Waitangi Day Acts passed by the New Zealand Parliament: the Waitangi Day Act 1960 and the Waitangi Day Act 1976. Neither made the sixth of February a public holiday; this was done by the New Zealand Day Act 1973. The first Waitangi Day Act was a token gesture towards...
was passed enabling any area of the country to substitute a Waitangi Day holiday for its provincial anniversary day. This was done for Northland in 1963.
Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's Māori Affairs spokesperson, Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata was a New Zealand Māori politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Northern Maori from 1963 to 1979, the Minister of Lands and Minister of Māori Affairs in the Third Labour Government of New Zealand between 1972 and 1975...
, had introduced a New Zealand Day Bill in 1971 but this was not passed. Labour won the 1972 election
New Zealand general election, 1972
The New Zealand general election of 1972 was held to elect MPs to the 37th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party.-Background:...
and subsequently introduced another New Zealand Day Bill, which passed in 1973. The creation of a new public holiday was part of the Third Labour Government
Third Labour Government of New Zealand
The Third Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1972 to 1975. During its time in office, it carried out a wide range of reforms in areas such as overseas trade, farming, public works, energy generation, local government, health, the arts, sport and recreation,...
's programme of creating a distinct New Zealand identity. Before this act was passed, New Zealand had no real 'national day'. New Zealand Day was intended to create a greater sense of pride and unity amongst New Zealanders.
The decision to call the day New Zealand Day rather than Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:...
was made by various people within the government, including Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Norman Kirk
Norman Kirk
Norman Eric Kirk was the 29th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 until his sudden death in 1974. He led the Parliamentary wing of the New Zealand Labour Party from 1965 to 1974. He was the fourth Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand, but the first to be born in New Zealand...
and his Minister of Māori Affairs
Minister of Maori Affairs
The Minister of Māori Affairs is the minister of the New Zealand government with broad responsibility for government policy towards Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. The current Minister of Māori Affairs is Dr. Pita Sharples.-Role:...
Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata was a New Zealand Māori politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Northern Maori from 1963 to 1979, the Minister of Lands and Minister of Māori Affairs in the Third Labour Government of New Zealand between 1972 and 1975...
. They felt that the name New Zealand Day would emphasise that the day was New Zealand's national day, and that it was for all New Zealanders, not just Māori. It may have also been intended to divert attention away from the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
, which had been the subject of Māori protests at Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day
Waitangi Day commemorates a significant day in the history of New Zealand. It is a public holiday held each year on 6 February to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document, on that date in 1840.-History:...
in the years before 1973. Many Māori, including the Māori Women's Welfare League
Māori Women's Welfare League
The Māori Women’s Welfare League or Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko I te Ora is a New Zealand welfare organisation focusing on Māori women and children...
, were unhappy with the change of name. The name was changed back by the Third National Government
Third National Government of New Zealand
The Third National Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. It was an economically and socially conservative government, which aimed to preserve the Keynesian economic system established by the First Labour government while also being socially conservative...
in 1976, in the Waitangi Day Act 1976, which repealed the New Zealand Day Act.
Debates
- New Zealand Parliamentary Debates vol.373 (1971), pp. 2551-69.
- New Zealand Parliamentary Debates vol.382 (1973), pp. 793-7.
- New Zealand Parliamentary Debates vol.385 (1973), pp. 2886-902.
- New Zealand Parliamentary Debates vol.386 (1973), p. 4326.