Te Pāti Māori response to privileges committee Decision
Te Pāti Māori’s haka suspended Parliament, leading to an invitation to the Privileges Committee.
The party skipped the hearing, citing unfair conditions and scheduling conflicts with their lawyer.
Judith Collins warned of serious consequences, offering a final hearing date on April 23.
Te Pāti Māori is unapologetic about its world-famous haka that temporarily suspended Parliament and prompted an invitation to front the Privileges Committee, with co-leader Rawiri Waititi describing the cross-party committee as “silly”.
Waititi and fellow co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the party would hold an alternative hearing – saying they were not trying to dodge accountability – only minutes before the chairwoman of the Privileges Committee Judith Collins emerged from a private meeting to offer Te Pāti Māori a “final offer” to face them.
“We were not dodging and do not want to avoid being accountable,” Ngarewa-Packer told reporters this evening.
“We would actually love to open up about what it feels like to be Māori in this place, we would love to explain what it is when we are doing our haka.”
Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke was among those to perform a haka at Parliament after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill. Photo / RNZ
The party said it did not attend the scheduled hearing today because the committee refused a series of requests it made, including scheduling the hearing on a date the party’s lawyer could attend and letting the party submit as a group, rather than individually.
“We are aware in 23+ years there has not been this type of challenge to the committee but we wanted to make sure our defence was given the appropriate time and voice and we felt it was really important this didn’t have a pre-determined outcome,” Ngarewa-Packer said.
The committee had invited Waititi, Ngarewa-Packer and MP for Hauraki-Waikato Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke to appear for their roles in last year’s haka.
Waititi said the party’s latest moves were about “standing up against the tyranny of the majority”.
“We don’t know what is in store for us today in respect to the outcomes of the hearings – we are not sorry. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat because this is who we are.
“This is not about a silly little Privileges Committee and their silly little rules. It’s bigger than that. This is about us standing up against the tyranny of the majority and the ... dominating culture that te iwi Māori has to contend with.”
Waititi said the party would convene an alternative hearing on May 7. Further details would be released in due course.
The committee hearing tonight was supposed to be open to the public but remained private when the Te Pāti Māori MPs didn’t turn up.
In a statement, Collins said the committee was mindful of the seriousness of the matter and had decided to offer a final alternative date for the hearings of evidence to take place. This would be on April 23 at 10am.
“We expect the members involved to engage with the committee’s consideration of the question of privilege, as all others who have been referred to this committee have done.”
Collins, speaking to reporters outside the committee room, said: “The consequences can be very serious for members of Parliament.
“We think, as a committee, that we need to give one further chance because we do not want to have anybody under any illusions as to just how serious this is.”
Asked what the potential consequences could be, Collins mentioned a fine or suspension while reiterating that no decision had been made yet.
Collins confirmed Te Pāti Māori’s final chance to appear would be held before the planned date of the party’s alternative hearing.
Asked for her reaction to the alternative hearing, Collins responded: “Oh dear.”
She later said it wasn’t “wise” to criticise the committee.
”It’s never wise to denigrate Parliament and the members of Parliament who try their very best, turn up pretty much every day to do their very best and to represent their constituents and the people of New Zealand.”
One of the concerns Te Pāti Māori held was the alleged inability to have legal representation with them as they appeared before the committee.
Collins clarified MPs were able to bring legal counsel with them, however, they were not able to answer questions or cross-examine.
”This is not a court of law as such, it’s essentially a committee of the House so we have different rules.”
The haka in question temporarily suspended proceedings after the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill and was condemned by Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee.
Members of Te Pāti Māori perform a haka in front of Act MPs during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill in the House at Parliament. Photo / Adam Pearse
Te Pāti Māori revealed on Tuesday it would be skipping the hearing over fears it would not get a fair hearing.
“This decision not only undermines basic legal practices but also perpetuates the ongoing tyranny of the majority against Māori representation,” Ngarewa-Packer said in a statement yesterday.
“Parliament continues to dismiss tikanga [customs] and justice, and this committee is no different. They have already decided our fate. This is not a fair hearing. It is a display of power designed to silence us.”
Opposing MPs criticised their decision not to show up. NZ First’s Shane Jones scoffed when asked about the matter, saying he had “had enough of these cultural Smurfs”.
“They’re trying to reduce the mana and the kawa [protocol] of Parliament.
“[I] think probably they realise they’ve done wrong and they’re using all these nefarious excuses to escape accountability.”
NZ First's Shane Jones with party leader Winston Peters at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Photo / Dean Purcell
Act leader David Seymour suggested the Privileges Committee should recommend cutting the MPs’ pay.
“They have got to start following the rules like everybody else and not thinking that they are special. If everyone behaved the way they did, this whole democracy wouldn’t work.”
Maipi-Clarke, Parliament’s youngest MP, brought Parliament to a standstill in November when she ripped up the Treaty Principles Bill, threw it on the ground and performed a haka along with other MPs in front of Seymour, the architect of the bill.
Many Opposition MPs stood and joined the haka from their seats. Labour’s Peeni Henare was sent to the Privileges Committee last month because he stepped away from his seat and on to the floor to perform.
He apologised to the committee for knowingly breaking Parliament’s rules but stood by his haka.
The Act Party bill proposes replacing the many Treaty principles developed over decades with three new ones determined by Cabinet. It is unlikely to become law as National and NZ First have stressed they will not support it at the second reading.
Te Pāti Māori, along with the other opposing parties, has been a staunch critic of the proposal since it was first unveiled.
Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.
