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Parliament’s debate over penalties handed to Te Pāti Māori for last year’s controversial haka in the House has been adjourned after a shock Government move.

Political parties this afternoon were locked in debate in the House concerning the Privileges Committee recommending three Te Pāti Māori MPs be suspended for up to 21 days for crossing the floor in a potentially intimidatory way, while disrupting the voting process.

After weeks of deliberation and attempts to engage with Te Pāti Māori, the committee last week agreed by majority to recommend suspending co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer from the House for 21 days and MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven days.

Talks of a compromise between Labour and National were “kiboshed” yesterday as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stated his party would support the committee’s proposal, while Labour claims some National MPs are uncomfortable with the scale of the punishment.

Today in the House, Privileges Committee chair Judith Collins read out the committee’s recommendations for suspension, saying this is not about the haka, tikanga or the Treaty of Waitangi but about following the rules of the House.

However Labour leader Chris Hipkins warned democracy is “hanging by a thread” around the world and days like today hold a “razor blade up to that thread”.

Hipkins proposed that the MPs be censured, but that Ngarewa-Packer and Waititi be suspended for one day (rather than 21), and Maipi-Clarke for no further length.

Leader of the House Chris Bishop then moved that the debate be adjourned to June 5, saying that given the centrality of the Budget process it would be appropriate for the Te Pāti Māori MPs to participate in the Budget.

The motion went to a party vote, which passed. The House’s vote on the Privileges Committee report will now take place following the Budget.
It comes as Privileges Committee chairwoman Judith Collins demands evidence from Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who today claimed Collins – who is also Attorney-General – said the haka represented “uncivilised behaviour from indigenous people”.

Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee last week said he would ensure all views and potential amendments relating to the recommendation would be extensively canvassed, given the punishment was seven times harsher than anything in Parliament’s history.

He also pointed out to the House amendments to the recommendation could be proposed, noting it was severe and unprecedented.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants Chris Hipkins to get his facts straight regarding Judith Collins' comments on the haka incident. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Luxon yesterday said National would stand by the committee’s recommendation, reiterating his view consequences were necessary given the haka broke the House’s rules.

Labour MP and shadow leader of the House Kieran McAnulty said he was surprised by Luxon’s commitment, citing his talks of possible compromises with his National counterpart Chris Bishop, who was Leader of the House.

“When you’re having a yarn and they say, ‘Okay, we’ll take that back’, you expect that there’s going to be some discussions, but Luxon made it out like he was speaking on behalf of the caucus.”

McAnulty claimed National caucus members had told Labour MPs they were “uncomfortable” with the proposed length of the ban.

McAnulty refused to state which National MPs were talking, saying “no one likes a tattle-tale” and “I want them to keep telling us stuff”.

Bishop wouldn’t comment on his conversations with McAnulty but accepted the Government and Opposition parties were probably “too far apart” to reach a compromise.

He initially suggested National could be open to changing its position, saying the “door is always open” if Te Pāti Māori apologised.

Pressed on that, Bishop told reporters “let’s wait and see” but later conceded “probably things are now too late to be fair”.

“They’ve had six months to do it and they haven’t done it, but you never know.”

Bishop lamented how the week was supposed to be focused on the Budget, which would be unveiled on Thursday.

There had been concerns that given the uncertainty about how long today’s debate could last, it could disrupt the House debating the Budget, but Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday said she believed the debate would progress as planned.

The haka, performed during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, involved the MPs advancing on seated Act MPs. Ngarewa-Packer appeared to make a gun symbol with her hand and direct it at Act leader David Seymour, however, she has disputed that characterisation.

Labour’s Willie Jackson questioned how the haka warranted such a punishment and dismissed concerns Act MPs had been intimidated.

“The Māoris jump up and do a haka and that’s the worse thing in the history of Parliament?

“That’s worse than the punch-up that [Trevor] Mallard had ... that’s worse than the c-word that happened the other day?

“I’m glad it was intimidating for the Act Party, I’m glad they felt intimidated because they intimidated the Māori nation and they are continuing with their disgraceful legislation.”

Attorney-General Judith Collins appears behind Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during his caucus stand-up at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Hipkins defends ‘indigenous people’ claim

Earlier today, Hipkins told TVNZ Collins had publicly condemned “uncivilised behaviour from indigenous people” in relation to Te Pāti Māori’s actions.

Collins has rejected Hipkins’ claim, demanding that he produce evidence or apologise. She appeared behind Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to emphasise that point on Tuesday morning.

Hipkins this morning defended his comments by claiming Collins had “talked about the lack of civility from the Māori Party”.

“It was on record last week. She was talking about it in the media ... I understand she was talking about the Māori Party at the time,” he said.

“My understanding was that the interview was all about the Māori Party and the privileges committee report on the Māori Party.”

He said he was working off what he had seen reported, but if his understanding was incorrect and she hadn’t said that, he would be “happy to go back and look at it”.

Questioned about Labour’s strategy during today’s debate, Hipkins said it would be discussed at his party’s caucus meeting this morning.

Luxon called on Hipkins to “get his facts straight”.

“Judith Collins did not say what he said she said. She said there has got to be civility in the Parliament and I fully agree with her. That is why we back the decision of the Privileges Committee.”