New Zealand’s parliament descended into chaos on Thursday when Maori Party MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke tore up a controversial bill and led a traditional Haka, forcing the Speaker to suspend proceedings.
The protest erupted during a vote on a bill proposed by the ACT Party, which seeks to narrow the interpretation of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi. The treaty has long been seen as a cornerstone of Maori rights, ensuring land and cultural protections in exchange for British sovereignty. Critics, including ACT, argue the treaty creates inequality by favouring Maori people.
Maipi-Clarke, one of New Zealand’s youngest MPs, destroyed a copy of the bill before beginning the Haka, a Maori war chant. Fellow Maori Party members, opposition MPs, and some spectators joined in, creating a scene of deafening chants and clashing perspectives.
Speaker Gerry Brownlee suspended the session and barred Maipi-Clarke from parliament for a day. Despite the protest, the bill passed and will now enter a public consultation phase.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon opposed the bill but acknowledged that his National Party supported it to honour coalition agreements with ACT and New Zealand First.
This is not the first time the Maori Party has used the Haka in protest. In 2021, co-leader Rawiri Waititi faced expulsion for a similar act.
