Te Pāti Māori MPs Face Harshest Ever Parliamentary Suspensions Over Protest Haka

Three Te Pāti Māori MPs—Rawiri Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke—have been suspended from New Zealand's Parliament following their performance of a haka during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. The parliamentary Privileges Committee deemed their actions intimidating and a serious breach of parliamentary rules, with Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer suspended for 21 days and Maipi-Clarke for seven days, marking the harshest penalties ever imposed on New Zealand MPs. The committee clarified that the punishment was not against the haka itself, a sacred cultural practice, but rather the timing and manner in which it was performed, particularly approaching opposing MPs on the floor and Ngarewa-Packer mimicking a gun gesture. The decision sparked strong criticism from Labour, Green, and Māori Party members, who called the penalties excessive and politically motivated, while some opposition MPs argued the sanctions were not harsh enough. The suspension will prevent the MPs from participating in the upcoming Budget debate and includes a loss of pay during the standdown period. The issue has highlighted tensions in Parliament regarding cultural expression and the enforcement of procedural rules.