Proposed Bill Dispute: New Zealander Parliament to Discuss Suspending Maori Legislators for Performed Protest Dance in parliament, November 2024.
In an unexpected move, a New Zealand government committee has suggested that three Indigenous representatives be temporarily kicked out of parliament for their controversial protest last year.
The Privileges Committee made its approval known on Wednesday night, recommending that Te Pāti Māori party co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi face a 21-day ban, while representative Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand's youngest legislator, faces a seven-day suspension.
More to Unravel
The controversy stems back to November when Maipi-Clarke, alongside party co-leaders Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer, derailed a parliamentary session with a protest haka. The protest targeted the proposed "Treaty Principles Bill," a contentious piece of legislation aiming to redefine New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 between Māori chiefs and the British Crown[2][4][5].
The Backlash
Maipi-Clarke also made headlines by tearing a copy of the contested bill during the protest[4]. The committee found that while the haka traditionally showcases Māori culture, its performance during a critical parliamentary session could be perceived as intimidating, and therefore in contempt of Parliament[2][5].
Critics of the bill saw it as an attempt to weaken the special rights given to the country's Māori population[2]. The bill was resoundingly voted down last month[2]. However, the Māori party views the recommended penalties as a harsh warning to Indigenous resistance movements[4].
The Heat is On
Judith Collins, the head of the Privileges Committee and attorney general, stated that it was highly disorderly for members to interrupt a vote while it was being conducted. She emphasized that the right to cast a vote without hindrance is essential to parliamentary proceedings, and approaching other members during debates is not acceptable[2].
The final decision is set to be voted on by the full chamber next Tuesday, with the support of the ruling conservative coalition expected[2]. The suspensions imply that the lawmakers will lose their salaries during their periods of absence[2].
Breaking news: The Privileges Committee's recommendation to temporarily suspend three Indigenous representatives from parliament over a controversial protest, which was deemed intimidating and in contempt of Parliament, has ignited a political storm. In the crucible of policy-and-legislation, this move is being seen as a significant blow to the Māori party's stance on general-news issues such as the contentious Treaty Principles Bill, which aimed to redefine New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi.
