A New Zealand committee has recommended suspending the new Indigenous MPs after they performed a protest haka during a controversial vote last year. On Wednesday, the Privileges Committee proposed suspending Te Pāti Māori leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer for 21 days.
The committee also recommended suspending 22-year-old MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, the youngest in parliament, for 7 days over her actions. According to their report, Maipi-Clarke received a lighter punishment after sending the Speaker a written letter of contrition.
The incident occurred in November when Maipi-Clarke tore a bill and launched into a haka during a legislative session. Her party leaders joined her and marched to the chamber’s center in defiance of parliamentary rules and procedure.
They protested a bill to redefine the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding agreement, signed in 1840. The bill had drawn significant backlash from Māori communities who view it as undermining Indigenous sovereignty and rights.
Though parliament later voted down the bill, the protest drew strong reactions and now formal disciplinary consequences for the three MPs. The committee emphasized that haka and ceremonial performances require permission from the Speaker before being carried out inside parliament.
Party officials argue the penalty is the harshest ever issued in New Zealand’s parliament, far exceeding previous disciplinary actions. In a statement, Te Pāti Māori accused the government of punishing Indigenous resistance more severely than any past disruptions.
Attorney General Judith Collins, who leads the committee, called the protest a serious breach of parliamentary order and decorum. She said lawmakers must be allowed to vote freely without physical or performative interference from colleagues during active sessions.
Parliament will vote on the proposed suspensions on Tuesday, with the ruling coalition expected to support the committee’s recommendations. If approved, this would be the first time a New Zealand Indigenous MP will be suspended for a haka protest, intensifying debate around Māori representation.
