New Zealand can set an example for both Russia and Australia, according to Pussy Riot's Maria "Masha" Alyokhina.
The founding member of Russian protest collective and punk band was at Parliament on Tuesday with a group protesting against a housing development in Ihumātao in Mangere, Auckland.
Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL) - the group protesting the development - claim the land is sacred and are calling on the Government to purchase the land off Fletchers in a bid to stop the development.
Alyokhina, who is in the country after performing at Splore and the Auckland Fringe Festival, told Newshub the event was "totally different from Russia".
"I hope one day we can have rallies like this in front of Parliament, [and] we will not be arrested, we will not be put to prison for it. This is my hope."
She also says indigenous rights in Australia are far behind New Zealand, and New Zealand could "be an example and force Australia to respect people who lived there before them".
The activist was impressed by the Government politicians who attended the protest. They included Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson, who collected the petition, local MP and Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio and Meka Whaitiri.
Pania Newton of SOUL told the crowd of protesters that Labour supported the cause while in Opposition, but that's no longer the case.
"Prior to the election and this Government, the Labour Party in particular stood with Ihumātao and I was disappointed to see they turned their backs on us."
In Opposition in 2014, Housing Minister Phil Twyford issued a press release calling on then-Housing Minister Nick Smith to "taihoa at Ihumatao", saying Dr Smith needed to "sit down with the community to address the concerns that have been raised".
Now Mr Twyford says the development has proceeded too far to be stopped.
"There is no provision to revoke or renounce those permissions. That's not possible under the law."
He says the parties involved need to get together and form a resolution.
Newshub.
