New Zealand legislation making English an official language ridiculed as ‘pathetic’

New Zealand's parliament has passed legislation granting English official language status, a move that has been met with derision from experts and opposition MPs. The bill, which became law on July 30, gives English the same standing as te reo Māori and New Zealand sign language, despite English being spoken by 95% of the population.

The legislation was a component of a coalition agreement between the National Party and the populist New Zealand First party, led by Winston Peters, who has previously expressed concerns about the prominence of Māori in public services.

Ministry of Justice officials had advised against the bill, stating there was no evidence to suggest English was under threat and that official status was typically granted to languages needing protection, unlike English. However, the coalition government and the main opposition Labour Party voted in favor.

During parliamentary debate, Green MP Tamatha Paul described the bill as a "pathetic waste of the responsibility of this house" and criticized the coalition for perceived oversensitivity to Māori terms like Aotearoa. Conversely, New Zealand First MP Casey Costello defended the law as a practical measure aligning the statute book with existing practice. Labour stated its support was aimed at moving past a "needless culture war."

Linguist Dr. Sidney Wong commented that English does not require legislative protection due to its widespread use and lack of threat. He suggested that government funding would be better directed towards research on New Zealand English rather than this short piece of legislation. Law professor Dr. Dean Knight echoed these sentiments, calling the act a "pointless exercise" that has no practical or legal impact, as English remains the dominant language.