New Zealand’s Parliament has taken a courageous step to suspend three Members of Parliament (MPs). This extraordinary move followed MPs standing up to protest, including the Māori haka in the debating chamber. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke was given a seven-day suspension, while Te Pāti Māori caucus leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi were given 21-day suspensions. The protest successfully challenged the controversial proposed law. It sparked a furious debate over what those consequences should be and what the Māori culture represents for New Zealand’s Parliament.
The three MPs walked across the chamber floor rather dramatically. As they neared their opponents, they executed the haka, a fierce traditional Māori war dance that serves to intimidate opponents before battle. This brave act of defiance made international front-page news. It did trigger a vital debate among legislators on whether the MPs’ actions were correct and what they should mean for Māori representation in Parliament.
In a recent, in-depth report, an expert committee established by the state’s Joint Committee on Legislative Ethics urged the harsh penalties. Opposition National Party’s senior member Gerry Brownlee urged parliamentarians to have an informed and vigorous debate. He wanted them to fellowships come together and decide upon appropriate punishments for the parliamentarians. Throughout the closed negotiations, ruling government legislators adamantly dismissed the opposition’s calls for more lenient penalties. They claimed that accountability in parliamentary behavior is necessary.
Members prefaced debate with personal and emotional testimony. What followed were impassioned remarks on the central role of Māori culture in shaping New Zealand’s political landscape. Maipi-Clarke pointed to moments when other legislators stood up from their dais to walk over their opponents. He asked why they were not subjected to sanctions, highlighting the arbitrariness of enforcement.
At the time of these actions, the longest punishment meted out against a New Zealand MP had been three days, meaning these pushes toward expulsion were especially notable. The recent suspensions have ignited a new round of discussion. It’s time for New Zealand’s Parliament to reconsider how it values and incorporates Māori culture and language in its proceedings — particularly in light of recent tensions over proposed legislation affecting Māori communities.