New Zealand has added English as one of its official languages, alongside Māori and the country’s sign language. The English Language Bill, which was passed by lawmakers, aims to recognize the long-accepted status of English in the country.

Background

The move was widely ridiculed in New Zealand, where English is already widely used, including in courts and parliament. More than 95% of the population, or almost 4.8 million people, spoke English as of 2023, according to government data.

Tamatha Paul, a member of the left-wing opposition Green party, condemned the move as a waste of time, saying the government was trying to undermine the Māori language. Māori was the main language spoken in New Zealand before the country became a British colony in 1840 and was made an official language in the 1980s.

Reactions

Casey Costello, a member of the New Zealand First party, defended the move, saying it was important to recognize the status of English in legislation. The opposition Labour Party voted through the bill, despite members’ misgivings.

The Justice Committee received written submissions from 1,601 people and groups regarding the bill, with almost two-thirds of them opposing it. Opponents argued that making English an official language would be an unnecessary use of resources and create unnecessary division within society.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.