Barry Soper: Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent on the haka that disrupted the Treaty Principles Bill and shut down Parliament

A Te Pati Māori MP has been suspended from Parliament for kicking off a deafening haka in protest of the Treaty Principles Bill. 

Opposition MPs and people in the public gallery joined in, interrupting a vote on the legislation and forcing the Speaker to clear the House.

Newstalk ZB senior political correspondent Barry Soper says today's events were a mess.

"I've never seen anything like it in more than 40 years of covering Parliament - the Speaker lost control, by no fault of his own."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Okay, Barry, so seeing your political correspondence with us.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Hey Barry, good afternoon. He right, run us through what
just happened. Well, I've never seen anything like it in
more than forty years of covering Parliament. The Speaker lost
control absolutely, and it's by no fault of his own.
It's by the fault of the MPs in the debating
chamber and in particular Rawi white to Tea. He's named

(00:26):
Hannah Rafiti Maipi Clark. She's that very young MP for
the Maldi party. She led off what was going into
the body of the Parliament and towards David Seymour. Rawi
White to Tea was right there with her, and so

(00:46):
was Debbie no Riwa Packers.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
This is the hacker.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
They went right up to David Seymour's desk, very intimidating.
I was watching it and you know it's it was
much worse than what Juliannejener did with Matt Doosey. And
she was brought before the Privileges Committee when the House
resumed after a considerable time. David Seymour wanted, essentially why

(01:11):
to Tea to be sent to the Privileges Committee as well,
and I'm sure more action will be taken because Parliament
can't be like that. It became just a mess and
out of order. The Opposition set out to embarrass the
Prime Minister in question time before all this unfolded, before
the big debate. Nikola Willis she was standing in for

(01:34):
Chris Luckson today. She was none too kind about the
bills sponsored David Seymour.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Here she is I do not think it makes sense
or will be enduring for Parliament to simply set down
its interpretation of the treaty and then seek a majority
of the public to confirm it and referend him. That
is a crude way to handle a very delicate subject.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
What does it say about his leadership when his soon
to be deputy Prime Minister accused him of being quote
clearly nervous end quote about the bill and the National
Party of being quote afraid of taking on hard issues
end quote, with him doing nothing to dissuade the public

(02:15):
of that notion.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
David Seymour is responsible for his own statements and in
this case they are wholly incorrect.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
So there's no love lost between David Seymour and the
National Party. But then it was down to the fiery debate.
David Seymour as the bill's sponsor. He kicked it off
and was calm and considered. I've got to say, compared
with what followed, He's Seymour, followed by labor fire brand
Willie Jackson.

Speaker 4 (02:39):
The commencement claused says the principles of the spill only
come into force if a majority vote for it to
do so and referendum. The big change here is the
idea that each person has a say on the rules
they live under. Even people who are convinced this bill
will not become law are determined to stop it being discussed,
and that's why you hear so much outspoke and criticism

(03:00):
of it. They know that whether or not this bill
becomes law in this term of Parliament, it's only a
matter of time before its logic prevails. That's why they
say kill the bill, because they can't kill the idea
behind the bill.

Speaker 5 (03:16):
The government's own lawyers, mister Speaker who said that this
poll will undermine Mildy rights. But still David Seymour persists
with this disgusting piece of legislation. I said some time
ago that he was a most dangerous politician in New
Zealand and that has come to pass. This is to you,

(03:38):
David Seymour. You feel hatred and misinformation in this country.
You bring out the worst in New Zealanders. You should
be ashamed of yourself and you are alive.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
See. And he was pulled up on that, and he
was kicked out of the house for it. Rvalry waited tea.
He clearly stirred up those in the public galleries and
opposition parties with this contribution to.

Speaker 6 (04:00):
Tease your white tong is superior to any person and
any law if it created in this house at are
seemed to be pulling the strings and running the country
like the KKK with a swipe card to the beehive.
And Luxon doesn't even care there's.

Speaker 5 (04:17):
A ghost in his chair.

Speaker 6 (04:19):
Uncle one game, but sent your pocket to governor over themselves.
They've assumed governance over us. When will we begin to
assume governance ourselves?

Speaker 2 (04:29):
See? And to me, you know that's that rhetoric is
worrying to say the least. Now the Maori Party leadership
joined by their members and I've got to say Labors
came out of his seat. They launched to do a
deafening harker and that, and they approached David s Labors
Labors to yep, he sorry, penny, he carry on sorry,

(04:54):
wrong name, and the speaker he lost all control and
suspended house. Here's the racket that followed from the public galleries.

Speaker 6 (05:03):
The gallery is to be cleared.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
What I've never seen hatred like that in Parliament before,
with a speaker throwing up his hands as you heard
at the beginning there and walking out. It's an absolute disgrace.

Speaker 3 (05:36):
Barry, thank you appreciate your time on that one.

Speaker 4 (05:38):
That's Barry Soper, Senior political correspondent.

Speaker 6 (05:41):
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