New Zealand MP Leads Dance, Tears Up Bill Copy in Parliament

A New Zealand Member of Parliament makes a bold statement by leading a traditional dance and ripping up a copy of a bill in the parliamentary chamber. This dramatic act has sparked widespread attention, raising questions about political protest and the boundaries of parliamentary decorum. The MP's actions have ignited debate over the role of symbolic gestures in politics.

A viral video captures the moment 22-year-old Te Pati Maori MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke interrupts the parliamentary session by tearing up a copy of the Treaty Principles Bill and performing a haka. Maipi-Clarke, who gained viral attention for performing a haka during her maiden speech last year, once again makes headlines by staging the traditional Maori dance and ripping up the controversial bill.

The video, which went viral, shows the young MP disrupting the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill by shredding a copy of the legislation before carrying out a haka. She is soon joined by members of the public gallery, leading Speaker Gerry Brownlee to briefly suspend the House.

The bill, recently introduced by the ACT New Zealand party, a junior coalition partner in the country's centre-right government, proposes changes to certain principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. This proposal has sparked opposition among many Maori, who view it as undermining their rights.

Signed in 1840 between the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs, the Treaty established the framework for governance between the two parties. The interpretation of its clauses still influences New Zealand's legislation and policies today.

However, the bill is widely seen by Maori and their supporters as a challenge to their rights. The Maori population, making up around 20% of the country's 5.3 million residents, views the bill with concern.

Following the bill's first reading, hundreds of people embarked on a nine-day hikoi (march) from the north of New Zealand to Wellington, the national capital, to protest.

The National Party and New Zealand First, coalition partners, are only supporting the bill's passage through the first reading as part of their agreement but have stated they will not back it in subsequent stages. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed his concerns, stating that the bill oversimplifies a long-standing debate and would undermine 184 years of discussions on the Treaty.

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Source: NDTV‍