The Parliament of New Zealand has passed a law granting English the status of an official language, but this decision has drawn criticism from linguists, lawyers, and some MPs, who called the document unnecessary, as 95% of the country's population already speaks English. This is reported by The Guardian, according to UNN.
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The English Language Bill came into force on July 30. From now on, English has the same official status as the Māori language (te reo Māori) and New Zealand Sign Language.
At the same time, as the publication writes, the New Zealand Ministry of Justice recommended that lawmakers not pass this bill because "there is no evidence to support concerns about the use or status of English as an official language," and also emphasized that Māori and New Zealand Sign Language received official status only to protect a linguistic minority.
Despite the Ministry of Justice's recommendations, the coalition government and the Labour Party supported the bill.
During parliamentary debates, MP Tamatha Paul called the bill "a pathetic waste of this chamber's responsibility." Meanwhile, MP from another party, Casey Costello, defended the document.
This is a practical measure. It aligns the statute book with long-standing practice and clearly defines the status of English within New Zealand's official framework
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