A group of New Zealand MPs erupted into the haka during a vote for a controversial bill in parliament on Thursday, resulting in angry officials and MPs being kicked out of the chambers.
The vote was for the highly contentious Treaty Principals Bill, which seeks to reinterpret the 1840 Tiriti o Waitangi — known as the Treaty of Waitangi. It is a treaty between Māori leaders and the British crown, considered to be one of Aotearoa’s founding documents. The bill was created by ACT leader, David Seymour, to redefine principles in the long-held treaty. Advocates say it seeks to remove the “privileged” treatment for Māori whereas opposers say the bill is too simplistic, negates 184 years of debate and discussion, and only furthers prejudice towards Māori.
The drama in the chambers kicked off when Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke stood up mid-vote, powerfully ripping a copy of the bill in half as she began performing the “Ka Mate” haka. Mapipi-Clarke was quickly joined by her Te Pāti Māori co-leaders, who stood directly in front of Seymour, along with Labour and Greens MPs.
You can watch the empowering moment below.
The speaker of Parliament Gerry Brownlee said the action was “grossly disorderly and called for the House to judge Maipi-Clarke’s conduct. The National, ACT and NZ First parties voted to suspend her, meaning Maipi-Clarke was unable to vote against the bill.
Parliament was suspended for a moment but when everyone returned, the coalition parties voted in favour of the bill. As a result, the bill will now go to a committee which will consider it over the next six months.
Labour Māori development spokesperson Willie Jackson said the consideration would be a “six-month hate tour”. He read out a message to Seymour from people protesting the bill at the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti (a protest of the treaty).
“To you, David Seymour: you fuel hatred and misinformation in this country, you bring out the worst in New Zealanders, you should be ashamed of yourself, and you are a liar,” he told the room.
After refusing to withdraw his comment labelling Seymour a liar, he was kicked out of the House.
Despite widespread criticism that the bill could result in racial division, Seymour argued that the bill would give “tino rangatiratanga” (translated as “highest chieftainship” or “absolute sovereignty”) to everyone.
“That is not true. My mission is to empower every person,” he said, per The Sydney Morning Herald.
“I heard all sorts of name-calling, I heard hysteria, I saw haka, but I didn’t hear any arguments.
“We respect their right to have debate according to the rules of parliament. They have to reciprocate. Otherwise, it doesn’t work.”
Before the bill was discussed in the House on Thursday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a press conference. He labelled the bill as “divisive”.
“You do not go negate, with a single stroke of a pen, 184 years of debate and discussion, with a bill that I think is very simplistic,” he said.
The controversial bill is expected to be debated in Parliament early next year.
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