Race relations have suffered after a row over land

BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents was broadcast on Thursday, 28 October, 2004 at 1100 BST.

The programme was repeated on Monday, 1 November, 2004 at 2030 GMT.

Listen to the programme

New Zealand's image of political and social harmony disintegrated in 2004 when 40,000 Maori marched on the capital, Wellington, accusing the government of a colonial-style land-grab.

The Labour government has lost ground not only to a new Maori Party, but to the conservative opposition who feel the Maori have been riding the compensation gravy-train for too long.

Rosie Goldsmith travelled to New Zealand to report on the events which have led to this political upheaval.