New oath call after Hone stunt

Hone Harawira's supporters were at Parliament in force yesterday hoping to see him sworn in. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Maori Party will push for the Treaty of Waitangi to be included in Parliament's oath after the Speaker kicked Hone Harawira out of the House for defying the formal oath.

The Mana leader was due to be sworn into Parliament again yesterday after winning the Te Tai Tokerau byelection, but was ejected for reading his own version of the affirmation, saying in Maori that he pledged his allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi, the people of Tai Tokerau, Maori and the dispossessed.

Speaker Lockwood Smith refused to go ahead with the swearing-in, ordering Mr Harawira to return on another sitting day when he was prepared to take the oath set out by law, at least a fortnight away.

Dr Smith told MPs he had not made his decision lightly, but he had warned Mr Harawira beforehand that the oath had to be given according to law.

"There has been a tendency in recent times to abuse our law. It's not just a custom in this House - it is a law of this country. Hone Harawira was advised of the need to comply with the law. He chose not to."

Mr Harawira said in the past others were permitted to immediately repeat the correct oath - including himself, Tariana Turia and Green MP Catherine Delahunty. He had no objection to the formal oath and would take it when Parliament returned in a fortnight.

"I wanted to affirm first of all my allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi. It's more important to me than the oath to Parliament."

The incident has reignited debate about the oath, in which MPs pledge allegiance to the Queen.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said she would push for the Treaty to be included in the oath as part of a constitutional review under way.

However, she did not condone Mr Harawira's actions. She said she would be deeply offended if someone visited her marae and sought to impose their own tikanga [customs.]

"It was a deliberate act. I think it's called stunt politics - you do it because you know you're going to get attention from it."

She had some sympathy for the Speaker, given he had forewarned Mr Harawira about the issue.

"It isn't a big deal to swear allegiance to the Treaty - after all, it is through the Treaty of Waitangi that Parliament was established. But whether you have a right to redefine the oath completely, that's a matter for Parliament, not individuals."

The incident sparked drama in Parliament, which began when Mr Harawira's korowai [cloak] fell to the floor - a bad omen which Labour MP Shane Jones said prompted a sharp intake of breath from other Maori MPs.

Mr Harawira later said it was clearly his ancestors saying "nah mate, not today".

The Speaker had to tell him twice to leave the chamber and Mr Harawira continued to read his statement as he walked out, to shouts of "that's rubbish" and "no respect" from National MPs. Mr Harawira's supporters in the gallery were also admonished by the Speaker for singing Toro Mai - the war song of the Maori soldiers at Gallipoli, where Mr Harawira's grandfather fought - despite his repeated requests for silence.

After the supporters' actions, Labour MP Trevor Mallard abandoned his attempt to help Mr Harawira by seeking leave for him to be invited back to take the oath again.

Instead, Green MP Russel Norman sought the leave, but it was rejected by some other MPs.

Dr Smith said he regretted having to interrupt waiata, which were now part of Parliament's custom, but he could not tolerate a celebration of an abuse of the law in this country.