[1] The Waitangi Day Act was a compromise which allowed them to claim they had kept their promise, without actually creating a holiday.

The act consisted of three clauses and established that the sixth of February would be known as Waitangi Day and 'shall be observed throughout New Zealand as a national day of thanksgiving in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.'

[1] The National Party opposition spent most of the debate on the act criticising the government for breaking their promise, but also felt that New Zealand could not afford another public holiday.

Many Māori felt that the new name drew attention away from the Treaty of Waitangi,[2] and campaigned for the name to be changed back.

[2] It also gave Northland its own anniversary day holiday and included the English and Māori language versions of the Treaty of Waitangi as a schedule.