Several rallies against the Treaty Principles Bill are being staged in towns across the country as a nine-day march, or hikoi, moves to Wellington. An estimated 10,000 people marched through Rotorua, about 280 miles north of Wellington, New Zealand police said in a statement. The ACT New Zealand party, a junior partner in the governing center-right coalition government, last week unveiled the bill, which it had promised during last year’s election. Coalition partners the National Party and New Zealand First are only supporting the legislation through the first of three readings. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed on Thursday that his National Party would not support the bill’s progress beyond the first reading.

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Persons: Hana, Rawhiti, Clarke, Christopher Luxon Organizations: British Crown, ACT New Zealand, Coalition, National Party, New Locations: New, Wellington, Rotorua, Wellington , New Zealand, Waitangi, New Zealand