1 NEWS' Corin Dann dissects Jacinda Ardern's historic protest-free speech at Waitangi

February 5, 2018

Organisers this year stripped the official welcome away from the lower marae where it was dogged by controversy.

The Prime Minister was welcomed to Waitangi with a typically powerful powhiri today. 

Unlike previous years, there were no protests to go with it.

This year organisers stripped the official welcome away from the lower marae where it was dogged by controversy.

The change of venue wasn't the only thing that changed this year, Jacinda Ardern was also given the honour of being the first female to speak on the National marae.

Ms Ardern says "I want to be able to tell my child that I earnt the right to stand and you can tell me when I've done that."

She promised to reduce the inequalities for Maori and to be held account if she failed.

One factor that helped the smooth running of the day is that several Senior Government Ministers have links to the local iwi Nga Puhi.

Including Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters who says, "this has been the best Waitangi in forty years." 

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