Māori MPs start haka in NZ's parliament as protest | ABC News

The youngest member of New Zealand’s parliament, Māori Party MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, started a haka to protest the first vote on a proposed law that would re-interpret New Zealand's founding legal document.

The Treaty Principles Bill was introduced by the leader of the libertarian ACT party, David Seymour, and would redefine how New Zealand interprets the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi), which was signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Māori chiefs.

Under the proposed changes, the New Zealand government would have "full power to govern" and make laws "in the best interests of everyone", while also promising to "respect and protect" the rights of Māori under the treaty "at the time they signed it".

Maipi-Clarke was suspended from parliament and her behaviour was called disrespectful and grossly disorderly by the speaker.
Video via @nzstuff and New Zealand Parliament TV

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