Mike Smith (activist)

Michael John Smith (born 1956/57) is a New Zealand environmental and Māori rights activist.

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]

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 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, is 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]

References

  1. 1 2 "Climate activist wins case to pursue big polluters," Radio New Zealand, 8 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  2. ↑ Corlett, E., "The Māori climate activist breaking legal barriers to bring corporate giants to court," The Guardian, 6 March 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  3. ↑ Yates, S., Michael versus the Goliaths," e-tangata, 18 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "The Single Object: The chainsaw heard across Aotearoa," The Spinoff, 13 April 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "Maungakiekie-One Tree Hill - roadside stories," New Zealand history, 20 November 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  6. ↑ Smith, M., Those trees on One Tree Hill may be doomed," e-tangata, 1 November 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  7. ↑ Forbes, M., One Tree Hill tree chopper now has some regrets," Radio New Zealand, 21 October 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2025.
  8. ↑ 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.
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