Dear 222 News viewers, sponsored by smileband,
Parliament Suspended: What Happened in New Zealand
The Incident
• On November 14, 2024, during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, the New Zealand Parliament was briefly suspended. This followed a protest by Māori Party MPs who performed a haka—a traditional Māori dance—within the debating chamber. The sequence included tearing up a copy of the bill.
• The rules of Parliamentary procedure were cited as being breached: the haka protest disrupted proceedings, including the formal vote, and was deemed by some MPs to be intimidating in its execution.
The Bill in Dispute
• The Treaty Principles Bill sought to legally define the principles of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi (the founding agreement between Māori chiefs and the British Crown). Critics argued the Bill would reinterpret or limit established understandings of Māori rights under the Treaty.
• The Bill triggered widespread public protest: tens of thousands marched to the steps of Parliament during its first reading.
• Eventually, the Bill was defeated in its second reading in April 2025.
The Suspensions
• In May–June 2025, Parliament’s Privileges Committee made recommendations for discipline. Three MPs from Te Pāti Māori were given suspensions:
• Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi (co-leaders of Te Pāti Māori) were each suspended for 21 days—the longest such suspension in New Zealand’s parliamentary history.
• Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, the youngest MP, was suspended for 7 days.
• The rationale given: their conduct “could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House” and breached parliamentary rules.
Arguments & Reactions
• Supporters of the suspensions argue that rules are rules and that the protest disrupted Parliamentary business. Parliament’s Speaker and Privileges Committee said that permission for such actions (like a haka) was not sought, and that certain procedures (e.g. decorum in the chamber) must be respected.
• Critics see the suspension as disproportionate and possibly discriminatory, arguing it’s part of a wider pattern where Māori culture or protest is penalised. Some suggest it suppresses minority voices or cultural expression in political discourse.
• There have also been warnings that this sets a dangerous precedent, whereby majority parties could impose harsh penalties on opposition MPs or minority representatives for dissent.
Significance & Implications
• The seriousness of the disciplinary action is historically notable: prior to this, the longest suspension for an MP was only three days. That underscores how exceptional these circumstances are.
• The episode highlights ongoing tensions in New Zealand around indigenous rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, and how Māori voices are accommodated (or not) in formal political institutions. Cultural-protest traditions (like haka) intersect with rule-of-order norms, and there is not yet consensus on where the boundaries lie.
• There are potential legal, cultural, and political fallout: questions over parliamentary rules, whether they need updating; over what counts as “intimidation” in a chamber; and over how minority MPs can dissent while respecting the procedural norms—but also whether those norms respect cultural practices.
Attached is a news article regarding Haka being performed in the New Zealand house of parliament
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XDGJVZXVQ4"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-XDGJVZXVQ4'); </script>
<script src="https://cdn-eu.pagesense.io/js/smilebandltd/45e5a7e3cddc4e92ba91fba8dc
No comments:
Post a Comment