In New Zealand, some politicians were suspended from parliament — all because they disrupted a session of parliament last November with a ritual “haka” dance. At the time, they were expressing their protest against a controversial bill that would reinterpret the agreement between the indigenous Maori people and the British crown.
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The suspension from parliament is believed to be the harshest punishment ever imposed on a parliamentarian. The head of the committee that made the decision said it was “the worst incident we have ever seen,” and she said she had never seen anything like it in her 23 years of work.
Te Pāti Māori (Maori Party) co-leaders Debbie Ngareva-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, as well as the partyʼs youngest member Hana-Rauhiti Maipi-Clark, performed a traditional dance of New Zealandʼs indigenous Maori people as they voted for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill at its first reading in November.
The bill has sparked protests because it proposes a new interpretation of the fundamental 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, which governs relations between the government and Maori. The agreement promised tribes broad rights to retain their lands and protect their interests in exchange for handing over power to the British. However, the bill proposes to “rewrite” the treaty so that these rights apply to all New Zealand citizens.
Many Maori and their supporters believe the bill causes constitutional upheaval and undermines the rights of the countryʼs indigenous people, who make up about 20% of the population.
In April this year, the bill was finally rejected at second reading. Despite this, the privileges committee recommended suspending three MPs for three weeks, saying their actions could intimidate other politicians and were a sign of disrespect for Parliament. The youngest, Maypee-Clark, was suspended for seven days.
“We acknowledge the severity of the proposed penalties… however, we intend to leave no doubt among members of Parliament that such behavior is unacceptable and that intimidation of other members of the House is taken with the utmost seriousness,” the commission’s conclusion states.
The haka dance has been performed in parliament before, but the commission said the "manner and timing" this time prevented other members from voting for the bill, and it is a "serious issue."
The report says it was unacceptable for Ngareva-Peker to use her hand to simulate shooting another member of parliament. Ngareva-Peker rejected that interpretation, calling the stance “faith” – an expression rooted in haka and Māori oratory.
The temporary suspension is expected to be approved by a vote during a full-house meeting on Tuesday. The three lawmakers will not receive pay during the suspension and will not be present for the annual budget debate next week.
What is the reaction to the commissionʼs decision? In a statement on social media, the Te Pāti Māori party, whose members were suspended, condemned the commissionʼs conclusion.
"When the Tangata Kol [people of this land] resist, the colonial powers seek maximum punishment. This is a warning shot for all of us to stand up," the party said.
The opposition Labor Party acknowledged that the MPsʼ behavior showed disrespect for the House of Representatives, but called the punishment "too harsh" and believed that suspending them for one or two days would have been sufficient.
The Green Party did not support the suspension, calling it "wholly disproportionate" to the breach, and expressed concerns that Te Pati Māori voters would be left unrepresented during budget discussions.
The report included statements from three MPs who believed that the hack was justified.
"In the space of discussing our rights and interests as the indigenous people of this land, haka was the only way to respond to the hundreds of thousands of our people who have been harmed," Ngareva Packer said.
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