Privileges Committee members Judith Collins and Winston Peters react to three Te Pāti Māori MPs missing another appearance before the committee. Video / Adam Pearse
Judith Collins is “pretty shocked” after Te Pāti Māori shared a draft Privileges Committee report.
The report concerns potential consequences for MPs performing a haka in the House last year.
The committee hasn’t decided yet and will meet again, with discussions on the social media post ongoing.
The political party on Tuesdayafternoon posted on Instagram a screenshot of what appears to be a Privileges Committee report, likely a draft report given the committee has not made a final determination.
It presents a potential finding and options for potential consequences for three of their MPs who engaged in a haka during the vote on the Treaty Principles Bill last year.
“This afternoon the Privileges Committee will make a final recommendation to the speaker about whathe [sic] sort of punishment @debbiengarewapacker @hana_rawhiti @rawiri_waititi will be given after performing a Haka in parliament. Watch this space... we will come back with our response when we get word.”
The committee met on Tuesday afternoon, but didn’t have time to come to a decision. It will meet again on Wednesday night.
Earlier, entering a select committee room for discussions on Tuesday afternoon, Collins said she was aware of the social media post and said she had shared it with the rest of the committee and the Clerk of the House.
“This is not something we’ve seen before... I’ll just leave it right there because that is certainly not the sort of behaviour we expect.”
Privileges Committee chairwoman Judith Collins says she was “pretty shocked” by a Te Pāti Māori social media post. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Collins said she “preferred the rules of Parliament be adhered to” and the business of the committee remains confidential until it is dealt with. She said she was “pretty shocked”.
“It’s quite clearly not a matter I have ever seen before in my 23 years here.”
Asked if the social post itself could be a breach of parliamentary privilege, Collins said, “we will find out no doubt”.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, another member of the committee, said the social media post “shows their contempt for parliamentary process”.
He said it was up to the committee to decide whether it factors into their decision.
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, a Te Pāti Māori MP on the committee, confirmed afterwards the social media post was discussed.
“I can’t say exactly what [Collins] said, but there is more to discuss and the decisions will come out soon enough, I hope,” Kapa-Kingi said.
The committee last met two weeks ago as it gave the MPs their “final chance” to explain their actions in person. They did not show and instead provided a written submission.
“We know the outcomes have been pre-determined. We know that we will not have the right to a fair process,“ Rawiri Waititi said.
When the MPs first ignored the committee’s request to appear, Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer announced the party would hold an “independent” alternative hearing on May 7. Ngarewa-Packer said the party’s hearing would still take place and be broadcast publicly, promising to reveal more details in the coming days.
“We are determined to tell our own story, our way, without being gaslit or shackled,” she said at the time.
Kapa-Kingi couldn’t provide any additional comment on the alternative session when asked on Tuesday.
In its submission, Te Pāti Māori reiterated its concerns about how the Privileges Committee had allegedly denied several of the party’s requests, including appearing before the committee alongside a tīkanga expert and legal counsel.
Collins had pushed back on the latter, saying MPs were able to bring legal counsel but she clarified they wouldn’t be able to cross-examine like in a traditional court process.
Chief among the party’s concerns was the potential for Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke to suffer “double jeopardy” or be punished twice for her part in the haka, which she began and included her ripping a copy of the bill and tossing it on the floor of the House.
Following the haka, which went viral globally, Speaker of the House Gerry Brownlee punished Maipi-Clarke by naming her in the House and she was stood down for 24 hours, which included her pay being docked.
In the submission, the party detailed how Maipi-Clarke and her co-leaders had spoken with Brownlee the next day, during which Maipi-Clarke apologised.
Collins on Tuesday denied it would be double jeopardy as the committee was not bound by the rules of courts.
Labour MP Peeni Henare also engaged in a haka, but did not approach Treaty Principles Bill architect David Seymour as Te Pāti Māori MPs did. The Privileges Committee released a report in March finding he had engaged in “undoubtedly disorderly behaviour”, but it did not amount to contempt. He apologised in the House following the report’s release.
The legislation came back to the House last month for its second reading and was voted down.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.
