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National | Matariki

A call to make Matariki a public holiday

Wellington mayor Justin Lester is calling for Matariki to be made a public holiday to replace the Queen's Birthday holiday.

He says for many New Zealanders Queen's Birthday is just a day off and establishing Matariki as a public holiday will reflect the country's embrace of tangata whenua.

He also says the idea has support from some iwi, and Wellington will continue to lead the charge on it.