Maori MPs make Treaty mark

Hone Harawira is corrected while swearing his oath by Parliament's kaumatua Rangitihi Tahuparae, as Clerk of the House David McGee looks on. Marty Melville / Getty Images

The Maori Party's four MPs swore allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi as well as the Queen when Parliament opened yesterday - but were each asked to repeat their vows without a Treaty oath.

But Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira managed to slip a reference to the Treaty in again the second time, swearing allegiance to the Queen but noting he was from the Treaty's Far North birthplace.

The MP who said later he had started the parliamentary term as he meant to go on, stamped his presence in several others ways, doing what he described as "just typical Tai Tokerau stuff, nothing special".

It began with a powhiri near the red-carpet-lined steps of Parliament.

Fellow Maori Party MPs welcomed him and a busload of northern supporters, their party and tino rangatiratanga flags dwarfed by the huge row of New Zealand flags flying behind them.

Later, as MPs settled into the House for the swearing-in ceremony, he took advantage of a brief moment of silence to rise and give a welcoming mihi to fellow MPs, saying later that he was trying to brighten a "flat moment". He and co-leader Tariana Turia also stood out as the only two MPs in the House who failed to rise when Margaret Wilson was re-elected Speaker.

Mr Harawira, watched by wife Hilda and mother Titewhai from the public gallery, said the Maori Party MPs were making the point that "there is no Crown without the Treaty, so it's pointless to recognise the Crown without formally recognising the Treaty. It's important that we did so."

He said Ms Wilson had been one of the key players behind the foreshore and seabed debacle and he could not bring himself to stand and honour her yesterday. "But I'll get used to it. She's the Speaker of the House and I understand that and I expect I will work in a positive manner with her in the future."

Mrs Turia said the MPs were proud to have demonstrated their commitment to the Treaty.

"This is not the first time that we have expressed our belief that the affirmation or the oath expressed by members of Parliament should include respect for Te Tiriti o Waitangi as creating the constitutional framework for this land."

The Oaths and Declarations Act was recently changed to enable MPs to give their oaths in Maori only, without having to repeat them in English. Mr Harawira said it should be changed further to recognise the place of the Treaty.