Parliament is debating proposed punishments for three members of Te Pāti Māori party after they performed a haka during the reading of a controversial Bill last year.
The MPs were reacting to the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill in November last year. Introduced by coalition partner ACT, the Bill aimed to clarify the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and to establish a clear legal framework for how these principles should be understood and applied in New Zealand law.
Some critics argued the Bill undermined Māori rights and would disrupt established interpretations of the Treaty. The Bill was defeated at its second reading last month.
The Privileges Committee has recommended to the Speaker that party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngārewa-Packer, and MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke (who led the haka Ka Mate but showed contrition) receive stand-downs of 21 and seven sitting days, respectively.
Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee set out the parameters of the debate last week, including that all 123 MPs be allowed to speak. The debate was expected start about 3pm.
There is concern there will be filibustering. If any amendment is put forward, MPs would then be allowed to speak again. Such amendments could include a change to the length of the suspensions. The debate could go on well into the night - or even for weeks.
Parliament's public gallery will be closed today, but a protest is planned on the forecourt in Wellington.
Iwi say a suspension of Te Pāti Māori MPs is a "punishment for being unapologetically Māori".
But Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has flatly rejected any concessions being made and doubled down this morning, saying the government stands by the recommendations in the privileges committee report.
ACT leader David Seymour, whose Bill prompted the haka, told RNZ ahead of the debate Te Pāti Māori's actions showed its MPs believed their behaviour was acceptable.
"I hope the debate will be over very quickly ... this is Budget week and New Zealanders deserve to see how the government will manage the economy over the coming year, not hijinks in response to very wrong hijinks of Te Pāti Māori. These are unprecedented offences and they deserve unprecedented penalties."
New Zealand First said it supported the Privileges Committee's recommendation.
The Green Party said the proposed suspension was unprecedented and of concern to all the party's MPs, so it was likely they would want to speak during the debate.
- RNZ and ODT Online
