IMPORTANT: Even if next week’s debate lessens the severe penalty onTe Pāti Māori, the punishment has been timed to ice their leaders out of Budget 2025, and the introduction of the anti Treaty of Waitangi Regulatory Standards Bill.
Correction: An earlier version of this article did not include Te Pati Maori’s response to the gun narrative this government claimed didn’t exist.
When Te Pāti Māori stood up to perform a historic haka in the House last year, the world erupted in a largely unified chorus of curiosity, admiration and awe.
Hundreds of millions watched.
On one of Reddit’s largest discussion groups, top comments noted:“Powerful traditional performance. hopefully the treaty stays as is.” and “Let’s face it, this is way more productive than the crap the US Congress pulls.”
Humour too:“This is how I should have responded to my last raise offer”
And curiousity: “I know nothing bout this culture but would like to know more now”
But as Australian media reported: Their powerful haka protest went viral. Now these New Zealand MPs face ‘unprecedented’ punishment.
An Australian:
“Watching that clip gives me chills. What an extraordinarily powerful display of strength and pride in culture and identity.”
Leading with a punchline
But the right wing MPs, who voted for the “unprecedented punishment” of 21 days - 7 times that of the most severe punishment in Parliament’s history decades ago - tried to claim intimidation.
They accused Ngarewa-Packer of simulating a firearm.The Committee acknowledged they could be wrong:
"If there was another view of what that was, we were not afforded the opportunity to hear it."
But they had received it.
The submission from Te Pāti Māori, as Andrew Riddell writes below, said:
"We reject the misrepresentation of Debbie Ngarewa-Packer's gesture as simulating a firearm. The motion in question was a wiri-a trembling, deliberate expression of emotional intensity rooted in haka and Māori oratory. The word she expressed at the conclusion of the haka was "kino", not "e noho" as the committee has reported."
Never letting a good opportunity go to waste, the government ignored this.
Then went on to publicly accuse Te Pāti Māori of the act anyway, formally censuring 3 of their MPs for “intimidation” - ensuring some media took the narrative as a lead.
Not everyone
Te Pāti Māori had fought for Tikanga (Customary practices)
Te Pāti Māori had refused to physically front the Privileged Committee, instead providing written submissions that highlighted their reasons:
"The level of disrespect for Te Tiriti encapsulated in this Bill was unprecedented in modern times.
It was an attack on Māori that has not been seen since the Tohunga Suppression Act in the early 20th century.
This was an exceptional circumstance which sparked an exceptional response."
And,
"That issue is the rightful place that Tikanga Māori should have within the House of Representatives as a taonga that is guaranteed to us under Article Two of Te Tiriti o Waitangi"
“We also sought permission and were granted permission to perform the haka from Te Āti Awa.”
TPM referenced multiple occasions where haka was performed in the House.
None of those were ever referred to privileges.
They felt they wouldn’t receive a fair hearing.
They may not have been wrong.
During Labour MP Peeni Henare’s Privileges Committee hearing on the subject - he had stepped out to join in too1 - ACT’s Parmjeet Parmar tried to charge intimidation on Henare too (video below)
And this week, Seymour did the same, claiming Te Pāti Māori had sought to intimidate him and his colleagues.
Judith confirms “severe” suspension unrelated to Privileges Committee.
The harshest penalty in the history of NZ Parliament before this is 3 days - decades ago.
This week, Collins defended government MPs’ votes, saying it was about “lack of civility”.
And her formal censure revolves solely around “intimidation” (seen in video above)
Civility brings to mind Dr Bex’s great article exploring the topic, as well as my own question:
“So I can gaslight, hurt you, harm your people, ignore your words, ice you out of every single decision that impacts your life and those you love. You can ignore evidence, ignore public feedback, ignore experts ….but you can lecture me on *checks notes*….manners?”
Extraordinarily the government timed this suspension - and even if reduced after debates next week - it will ice major figures from Te Pāti Māori out from imminent “dangerous” “legal straitjacket” Regulatory Standards Bill presentation and Budget 2025.
Judith Collins, chair of the Privileges Committee confirmed the committee did not add any time onto its suspension for refusing to physically stand before the committee.
A Tale Of Two Worlds:
Te Pāti Māori’s Tākuta Ferris Referred To Privileges But Not David Seymour
Last year, relatively new TPM MP, Ferris was referred to the Privileges Committee after this speech:
“A knowledge gap is a dangerous thing.
It allows lies to be presented as truths.
Politicians call this obfuscation.
The art of making something unclear, intentionally vague, ambiguous, to conceal or obscure the truth to confuse others.
Lies, in other words.
Many in this House are masters of it, and it is a disservice to those who voted you into your positions.”
After being accused of Parliamentary breach, and denying the charge, Ferris was sent to Privileges and censured.
Te Pāti Māori faithfully acknowledged and accepted the finding (video above)
There’s a reason they fought this particular charge.
But David Seymour is another story altogether.
His is a tale of privilege, cunning, and deceit all neatly masked within the cloak of virtue.
After lying to Parliament and the New Zealand people about his Land Rover stunt2 on Parliament steps last year, Brownlee told Labour leader Chris Hipkins that it was out of his hands, and Seymour couldn’t be referred to Privileges.
Rules for thee, but not for me.
Children are taught to watch out for wolves in sheeps’ clothing.
Some adults, it appears, reward it.
EXTRAS
Committee Members Who Voted For Severe Penalty
Judith Collins KC (Chairperson), Chris Bishop (National), Parmjeet Parmar (ACT), Winston Peters (NZ First), Scott Simpson (National)
Peeni Henare doesn’t regret haka, but apologises for breaking House rules
The Haka That Impressed the World
Penara expressed pride and no-regret for the Haka, but apologised for breaking the House rules,
Seymour’s stunt was done to take eyes off revelations he interfered in a live police investigation for donor Philip Polkinghorne, leaning on Auckland police to “stop” treating his donor like a suspect.
