Protest-hit Parliament grounds reopened
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern welcomed protesters back to Parliament, opening the grounds to the public again more than four months after anti-vaccine, antimandate crowds rioted and set up a makeshift camp on the lawn.
Rubbish has been cleared away, the grounds cleaned, and Parliament’s front lawn was resown after fires burned across the grounds, and violent clashes shocked the nation. The grounds have been used as a public thoroughfare for some months, but were opened in a ceremony on Wednesday.
Dozens of local children joined politicians and Parliament staff at the ceremony, with climate protesters also in attendance.
‘‘Welcome to our local schools and our early childhood centres,’’ Ardern said. ‘‘Welcome to our churches and their ministries who pass regularly through these grounds. Welcome to our local businesses . . . and welcome to our protesters; this is equally your space as well, and I think some have rejoined these grounds.’’
The event was called Mōuri Whenua, Mō uri Tangata, Mō uri Ora – a ‘‘ceremony to restore the land, people, and life of Parliament’’. Representatives from Te Ā tiawa Taranaki Whā nui and Parliament attended the opening. MPs across political parties were running sausage sizzles, and a Mr Whippy van was handing out ice cream.
The playground, which was still be worked on yesterday, was once again being used by children. Wellington City councillor Fleur Fitzsimons said it cost $140,000 to fix the playground, which went up in flames during the protest, under a 100-year-old pōhutukawa tree. An online fundraiser has recouped $22,000.
Ardern said the grounds were ‘‘very, very special and unique’’.
‘‘These are the grounds on which the first country in the world rightfully awarded women the right to vote,’’ she said.
Taranaki Whā nui Chair Kara Puketapu-Dentice said the ceremony had restored the expectation for peace to reside over the grounds. ‘‘This place is for all New Zealanders, a place for robust debate, a place for differences of opinions,’’ he said.
‘‘We have restored the mauri and wairua here at Parliament grounds and together we must be committed to ensuring that throughout our nation we must move from disconnection to reconnection.’’
Although most of the grounds have been open as a public thoroughfare for some months, Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard had indicated that the official reopening was delayed so that it would coincide with the first Matariki public holiday.
There was a modest police presence around Parliament’s grounds during the morning.
‘‘We have restored the mauri and wairua here at Parliament grounds and together we must be committed to ensuring that throughout our nation we must move from disconnection to reconnection.’’
Kara Puketapu-Dentice Taranaki Whānui Chair