Mike Smith (activist)
Michael John Smith (born 1956/57) is a New Zealand environmental and Māori rights activist.
Early life and family
[edit]Smith is Māori, and identifies with the Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahu iwi.[1] He was born in the 1950s in New Zealand's Northland Region to a Māori father and Pākehā (European) mother.[2]
Climate activism
[edit]Smith's activism began in 1992, when he attended a Global Earth Summits on greenhouse gas emissions.[3] In October 1994 he created headlines in New Zealand when he attacked the lone tree on Auckland's Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill with a chainsaw, an act aimed at emphasising Māori anger at the New Zealand government's latest economic policies.[4] There was also a feeling among some Māori that the tree — an exotic species — was inappropriate and should be replaced by a native plant.[5] The damage resulted in Smith being arrested and receiving nine months of periodic detention.[6] Smith has since expressed some regret at the action, especially for those for whom the tree had personal significance.[7]
In February 2024, Smith won the right to sue several major New Zealand companies over their alleged contributions to climate change.[1] The case, Smith v Fonterra Co-operative Group Ltd, was a landmark case in New Zealand tort law. It parallels similar international moves to find judicial methods to speed up action on the environment.[8] In May 2026, the New Zealand Government announced that it would amend existing climate legislation to prevent companies from being sued over damages caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The law change will affect Smith's 2024 lawsuit against the dairy giant Fonterra and five other major emitters.[9]
In response, Smith accused the New Zealand government of engaging in a "coordinated campaign of secret lobbying, political interference and corporate influence at the highest levels of power."[10] In late May 2026, Radio New Zealand reported that Justice Ministry officials had advised the Government not to intervene in Smith's court case. However, the Government had decided to disregard their advice, with Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith justifying the law change on the basis that Smith's case against "major corporate emitters" had undermined business confidence.[11]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Climate activist wins case to pursue big polluters," Radio New Zealand, 8 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Corlett, E., "The Māori climate activist breaking legal barriers to bring corporate giants to court," The Guardian, 6 March 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Yates, S., Michael versus the Goliaths," e-tangata, 18 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ "The Single Object: The chainsaw heard across Aotearoa," The Spinoff, 13 April 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ "Maungakiekie-One Tree Hill - roadside stories," New Zealand history, 20 November 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Smith, M., Those trees on One Tree Hill may be doomed," e-tangata, 1 November 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Forbes, M., One Tree Hill tree chopper now has some regrets," Radio New Zealand, 21 October 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Gibson, E., "Iwi leader Mike Smith gets his day in court against seven major emitters," Radio New Zealand, 7 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
- ↑ Newton, Kate (12 May 2026). "Government changes climate law to prevent lawsuits". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 12 May 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Hanly, Lillian (25 May 2026). "'A co-ordinated campaign of secret lobbying' - climate activist". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 24 May 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
- ↑ Hanly, Lillian (27 May 2026). "Officials told government not to intervene in a climate court case". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 27 May 2026. Retrieved 27 May 2026.