Three Te Pati Māori MPs have been suspended from Parliament by the Privileges Committee for performing a haka during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill last year.
Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer were “severely censured” and suspended for 21 days, while Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke was suspended for seven days.
In a decision released on Wednesday night, the Privileges Committee found the trio had acted “in a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House in the discharge of their duty”.
“There is no question that the behaviour of Ms Maipi-Clarke, Ms Ngarewa-Packer, and Mr Waititi could have the effect of intimidating other members.”
The report said it was not acceptable to approach other members on the debating floor and “particularly unacceptable” for Ngarewa-Packer to “to appear to simulate firing a gun” at another member of Parliament.
The haka at the centre of the matter was conducted during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, which was voted down at its next reading.
Labour’s Peeni Henare had also been brought in front of the Privileges Committee, and it was recommended he apologise to the House.
The Te Pati Māori trio were referred to the Privileges Committee but ignored initial summons to appear in-person, claiming an injustice as they had been denied legal representation and were unable to appear together.
The suspension meant the Te Pati Maori co-leaders would miss the Budget debate, and they would not be paid during the standdown period.
Privileges Committee chairperson and National minister Judith Collins said the issue was not about the haka, tikanga, or the Treaty of Waitangi.
“It does not matter — our gender, our ethnicity, our beliefs. In this Parliament, we are all simply Members of Parliament, and like any institution it has rules.”
Collins confirmed the punishment was the “most significant” ever handed out by the Privilege Committee.
“It is also, of course, the worst instance that we have ever seen.”
Response from Te Pāti Māori
Te Pāti Māori said it strongly opposed the findings and the penalties recommended by the Privileges Committe. “We reject both the characterisation of our actions, and the severity of the proposed sanctions.”
In a statement, the party called the punishments unprecedented as “the three longest suspensions in the history of Parliament in Aotearoa”.
“This decision will not only silence three MPs; it will silence a quarter of te iwi Māori by taking their representatives out of this House.”
Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau and member of the Privileges Committee Mariameno Kapa-Kingi said “the process was grossly unjust, unfair, and unwarranted, resulting in an extreme sanction. This was not about process, this became personal.”
Other parties’ views
The Labour Party agreed that the conduct constituted contempt of the House but said it was “concerned that the penalties proposed are unduly severe”.
The Green Party opposed the suspension and said the level of punishment was “unprecedented and completely out of proportion to the breach of Standing Orders”.