Three Māori Party MPs have been temporarily suspended in New Zealand parliament after performing a haka in the debating chamber during a protest against the Treaty Principles Bill.
Co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer were each suspended for 21 sitting days, while 22-year-old MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke received a seven-day suspension.
Stay up to date on the latest news with The National Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:
All three will lose their parliamentary salaries for the duration of their suspensions.
The haka was performed in November last year as a protest against legislation introduced by the ACT Party, which sought to redefine the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
The bill has sparked widespread backlash, including nationwide protests and a nine-day hīkoi to Parliament.
According to the report, the committee found that the timing and manner of the haka disrupted other members’ ability to cast their votes on the bill.
“We acknowledge the severity of the penalties proposed… however, we intend to leave members in no doubt that the behaviour discussed is not acceptable and that the intimidation of other members of the house is treated with utmost seriousness,” said in the report.
However, Ngarewa-Packer said the punishment was “an attempt to silence Māori voices in the House” and called it a dark day for democracy.
“This is the most severe punishment handed down in our history. The worst one record was three days,” said in a statement by Māori Party.
However, Speaker Gerry Brownlee defended the decision, saying the sanctions reflected the seriousness of the disruption.
Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on LiSTNR today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.