Labour have pledged to make Matariki a public holiday if re-elected. Good. As I said last year when New Zealand Republic launched their petition campaign on the topic, Matariki is a day indigenous to New Zealand, and making it a holiday would recognise who are now: our own place, not a British colony. So this is a policy I wholeheartedly support.
At the same time, though, its not exactly a policy which targets the big issues facing us, is it? I want to know what Labour plans to do about climate change, inequality, housing, and water. And if their answer is just the status quo with an extra public holiday, then I'm just not interested.
