New Zealand Delays Vote on Suspension of Three Māori Lawmakers

New Zealand's government has postponed a rare parliamentary vote on suspending three Maori lawmakers who performed a haka during the reading of a controversial bill last year. The parliamentary privileges committee recommended suspending co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi for 21 days, and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven days, citing their actions as potentially intimidating to other members. The suspension follows their haka protest against a bill that sought to reinterpret a historic treaty between the British and Indigenous Maori. The Leader of the House, Chris Bishop, deferred the vote to allow all members to participate in the federal budget debate, emphasizing the importance of inclusive parliamentary processes. Opposition parties and protesters argue that the proposed suspensions are unprecedented and disproportionate, with some expressing intent to perform a haka in solidarity outside parliament. Parliamentary leaders stress that the issue centers on adherence to parliamentary rules rather than the cultural significance of the haka itself.