WELLINGTON, May 14 – Three MPs from Te Pāti Māori, New Zealand’s Māori Party, have been temporarily suspended from New Zealand Parliament for performing a haka protest against a controversial treaty bill. The suspension, expected to be confirmed in a Thursday vote, is considered the harshest penalty ever imposed on sitting MPs in New Zealand’s history.
What Sparked the Protest in New Zealand Parliament?
The MPs – Rawiri Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke – protested a bill seeking to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. The treaty was signed in 1840 between Māori chiefs and the British Crown.
Opponents of the bill said it would undermine Māori rights, reverse decades of progress, and spark constitutional instability.
During a debate in November, the three MPs performed a haka, a traditional Māori ceremonial dance, and moved toward their political opponents in the debating chamber. This was seen by some as intimidating behavior.
Details of the Suspension
A New Zealand parliamentary committee composed of MPs from all political parties recommended the punishment. It said the issue was not the haka itself, but the manner and timing of the performance.
- Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand’s youngest MP at age 22, faces a 7-day suspension.
- Party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer face 21-day suspensions.
- All three will lose their salaries during the bans.
The lawmakers were found in contempt of Parliament for crossing the floor of the chamber while performing the haka, which was interpreted as potentially intimidating.
New Zealand Parliament Lawmakers Refuse to Appear Before Committee
The trio declined to appear before the committee in April, citing a lack of respect for Māori cultural protocol and fear of an unfair process.
Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi called the process “grossly unjust, unfair, and unwarranted.”
“This was not about process. This became personal,” she said.
Only Maipi-Clarke received a lighter penalty after writing a letter of contrition, which was noted in the final report.
The Treaty of Waitangi Bill: Why It Matters
The now-defeated bill aimed to redefine the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty is central to Māori-Crown relations in New Zealand.
While the Māori version promised shared governance and protection of Māori rights, the English version was more limited. For decades, the Crown failed to honor either, resulting in mass land confiscations, dispossession, and lasting inequality.
Māori activists argue the bill would have undone years of legal and political gains based on Treaty principles.
A Deepening Political Divide
Videos of the haka protest went viral in November, gaining millions of views worldwide. But government MPs from the center-right coalition filed formal complaints about the act.
The incident has further deepened tensions between the Māori Party and the ruling coalition, with accusations of cultural intolerance and political suppression.
Despite opposition from some parties, the suspensions are likely to pass in Parliament’s upcoming vote.
A Turning Point in New Zealand Politics?
This disciplinary action has raised serious questions about the balance between cultural expression and Parliamentary decorum. Many fear it may set a dangerous precedent for punishing Indigenous protest in official forums.
The Māori Party vows to continue fighting for Indigenous rights, even if it means facing institutional backlash.
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