New Zealand Parliament suspends Maori MPs who performed protest haka

The Star

New Zealand's parliament on Thursday (June 5) handed record-long suspensions to three Indigenous Maori lawmakers who last year staged a protest haka on the debating floor.  Maori Party co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer were banished from parliament for 21 days, the longest-ever suspension.  Fellow Maori Party lawmaker Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand's youngest current MP, was suspended for seven days.  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Transcript

00:00That Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clark be suspended from the service of the House for seven days

00:06for acting in a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House

00:11in the discharge of their duty.

00:13Those of that opinion will say aye.

00:16Aye.

00:17To the contrary, no.

00:18No.

00:20The ayes have it.

00:22No.

00:22Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clark therefore is suspended from the service of the House for seven days

00:28starting from today.

00:30Debbie Ngārua-Paka therefore is suspended from the service of the House for 21 days

00:36starting from today.

00:38The question is agreed to.

00:40Rawhiri Waititi therefore is suspended from the service of the House for 21 days starting

00:46from today.

00:48The silencing of us today is a reminder of the silencing of our ancestors of the past.

00:54And it continues to happen today.

00:5621 days of silence.

01:02This may be confronting, but this is a reality for our whanous.

01:07This is a reality for the people who descend from Tipuna, who are wrongfully accused.

01:13Because you interpreted something.

01:17Interpretation is a feeling.

01:18It's not a fact.

01:19We haven't created the violence here.

01:23And now you've traded the noose for legislation.

01:30Well, I've got a message for you all today.

01:32We will not be silenced.

01:36We will not be assimilated.

01:39We will not be subjugated.

01:41And we make no apology for being absolutely, unapologetically, unfettered, unbridled Maori

01:50human beings.

02:02We will not be circumcised.

02:16OK.

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