Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey is calling for Matariki to be a public holiday. I agree. Unlike the irrelevant Queen's Birthday, Matariki is something truly kiwi and worth celebrating. And as a bonus, it happens at exactly the right time of year - June to July, where there's a massive gap in the public holiday schedule.
MP's are already moving on this. The Maori Party's Rahui Katene had a Te Ra o Matariki Bill/Matariki Day Bill in the ballot last week, which fixes the date on the day of the next new moon after the Matariki constellation has risen, and Mondayises it if it falls on a weekend. Hopefully it will be drawn soon.
