Labour MP Kiritapu Allan has hit back at Act and National, labelling their critique of the newly passed Matariki Public Holiday Bill as "ideological".
Legislation setting up Matariki as a public holiday passed in Parliament on Thursday.
Te Pire mō te Hararei Tūmatanui o te Kāhui o Matariki (the Matariki Public Holiday Bill) marks June 24, the new year according to the Māori lunar calendar, as Aotearoa's 12th public holiday.
But not everyone is celebrating.
National’s Paul Goldsmith said while Matariki was "important", the Government was playing “Father Christmas" handing out holidays at the public's expense.
With ACT's Small Business spokesperson Chris Baillie labelling the bill a "ludicrous idea" that represented a $450 million tax burden.
The law passed without National or Act support, with 77 votes in favour.
READ MORE: 'Not just a holiday' - MPs defend Matariki Bill as it passes into law
But speaking to reporters, the Associate Minister of Culture and Heritage said their criticism wasn't simply about cost.
"We have heard from tourism industries, hospitality industries, those people that have been finding it the hardest... those are some of the biggest champions when it came to this additional holiday," said Allan.
Rather than being an expense, Parliament was told the additional holiday could boost the economy by $310.4 to $496.1 million.
"What do we do when we have a day off? We go out and we spend money.
"They had the same arguments when it came to things like the Anzac holiday, that it was going to be a burden of cost too much for the ordinary person to afford, you don't hear that catcall now," said Allan.
She said National and Act backlash against the bill, actually stemmed from a deeper perspective on national identity.
"I think they're having real ideological issues.
"We've got 11 other statutory holidays that commemorate our national identity.
"Anzac Day is something special for us all, Labour Day commemorates the backbone... of the economic base of our workers.
"Matariki though... is the only day that commemorates the indigenous ideology, the principles.
"It is something deeply steeped in mātauranga Māori."
Allan said the bill marked Aotearoa's shift to a nation that embraces its bi-cultural identity.
"This is a day of maturation for us, a day of nation-building.
"This bill and this day provide an opportunity for all of us.
"Matariki is something that we can look to, to guide us, to assist us, to pause, to grow and to learn."
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