MATUA KAHURANGI: New Zealand First moves to legally cement "New Zealand" as the country's official name

New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that proposes to make it crystal clear - the official name of our country is New Zealand.

The New Zealand (Name of State) Bill, introduced to Parliament today, asserts that only the people of New Zealand, through their elected representatives, have the right to determine the official name of the nation. Not unelected bureaucrats. Not government departments. Not ideologically motivated public officials.

Over recent years, we’ve seen a quiet but deliberate attempt to replace our country's name. “Aotearoa” is being inserted across public documents, government agencies and media platforms, often without any democratic mandate or proper public debate. This is not cultural evolution.

The creeping normalisation of “Aotearoa” is not just misleading; it is historically flawed. Any honest historian or cultural authority will tell you that “Aotearoa” was never the original Māori name for New Zealand. In fact, the South Island’s principal iwi, Ngāi Tahu, went on record in 2021 stating clearly that “Aotearoa” historically referred only to the North Island. That is a far cry from the blanket name some now want to force upon the entire country

It was the colonial politician William Pember Reeves who helped popularise “Aotearoa” in the late 19th century, not pre-European Māori, and certainly not with any national consensus. Ironically, today’s cultural activists now champion this colonial invention in the name of decolonisation.

This Bill is not about denying heritage or culture. It is about upholding constitutional clarity, national unity and legal certainty. For decades, we have spent billions of dollars promoting New Zealand on the world stage, building global trust in our name, identity and brand. Undermining that hard-won recognition with an unofficial and historically contentious alternative only introduces confusion, both domestically and internationally.

The name New Zealand is recognised globally. It is how our nation appears on passports, treaties, trade agreements, international institutions and sporting uniforms. That name carries weight, legacy and legal standing.

NZ First’s position is simple that the name of our country must not be changed through stealth, ideology or bureaucratic overreach. Any such change must come from the people, and only the people.

The introduction of this Bill maybe a step toward defending democratic process, protecting historical truth and reaffirming our country’s official identity.

Our country is, and remains, New Zealand. Let’s keep it that way, unless New Zealanders themselves choose otherwise.

This piece was sourced from the Matua Kahurangi's substack