A New Zealand parliamentary committee has proposed suspending three Māori MPs from parliament for their protest haka during a sitting last year. The MPs, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Rawiri Waititi, and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, were found to have acted in a manner that could have intimidated other lawmakers.
The controversy surrounds a haka performed during the first reading of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, which aimed to redefine New Zealand’s founding treaty with Māori people. The bill was voted down 112 votes to 11 last month. According to the Privileges Committee, the haka, performed on November 14, 2024, was deemed “highly disorderly” and “could have the effect of intimidating other members”.
The Committee’s Findings
The committee’s report stated that Maipi-Clarke, who started the haka dance, approached seated ACT MPs, and Ngarewa-Packer made a gesture simulating a firearm. Waititi also joined in, advancing toward ACT MPs. The committee chairperson, Judith Collins, described the incident as “unlike anything she had seen in more than two decades as an MP”.
“The behaviour of Ms Maipi-Clarke, Ms Ngarewa-Packer and Mr Waititi was such that it could have the effect of intimidating other members of the House in the discharge of their duties,” Collins said. “It is highly disorderly for members to interrupt a vote while it is being conducted”.
Proposed Suspensions
The committee has recommended the following suspensions:
- Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke: 7 days
- Rawiri Waititi: 21 days
- Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: 21 days
The suspensions will be put to a vote on Tuesday. If suspended, the MPs will not receive their salary during the suspension period.
Reaction from Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori has criticized the recommendations, calling them “unprecedented” and “excessive”. The party stated, “When tangata whenua resist, colonial powers reach for the maximum penalty”. They also questioned why their members were being suspended while another MP, Peeni Henare, who participated in the same haka, was not.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Response
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, who is Māori, described the trio as “out-of-control MPs who flout the rules and intimidate others with outrageous hakas”.
The incident has sparked debate about the role of cultural expression in parliament and the limits of parliamentary privilege.