Māori MPs Suspended After Viral Haka Protest

Three Te Pāti Māori MPs—co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke—face the longest parliamentary suspensions in New Zealand's history after leading a haka protest during the November 2024 reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. The Privileges Committee recommended 21-day bans for Waititi and Ngarewa-Packer, and a seven-day ban for Maipi-Clarke, citing behavior that included Maipi-Clarke tearing up the bill and Ngarewa-Packer allegedly making a finger-gun gesture, actions deemed potentially intimidating and disruptive. The MPs, forfeiting their salaries, will miss key sessions, including the Budget debate, due to the suspensions. The protest went viral globally and brought attention to deep divisions over efforts to reinterpret the Treaty of Waitangi. The bill, widely criticized for threatening Māori rights, was ultimately defeated following large-scale protests. The unprecedented severity of the sanctions has ignited debate about fair treatment of minority voices and protest boundaries in parliament.