Over the years as I have followed Parliamentary matters and a lot of what happens in and around The Beehive and Parliamentary Chamber aka (The House) and listened as people like Barry Soper report in hushed voices, in awe even, that a Member of Parliament has transgressed the rules to such an extent that they have been referred to Parliaments (Powerful) Privileges Committee.
I have wondered.
To what end though?
Even under the years of terror when `The Despicable’ Trevor Mallard reigned as Speaker I cannot recall any Parliamentary Member despatched to the Committee to suffer any significant consequences. An apology to The House and its Parliamentary Members being the usual result.
A slap on the wrist with a wet bus ticket as the saying goes.
In fact the most decisive action in the House in recent times was when Speaker Gerry Brownlee before Christmas NAMED Hana-Rawiti Maipi-Clarke and Suspended her from Parliament for a day, without pay, for her part in the lead up to the Haka fiasco on 16 November 2024.
That clear and appropriate action did not get anywhere near The Privileges Committee.
Then we have the recent case of Taikuta Ferris misleading, read lying, to the house on the 28 September 2024. Despite him ignoring an invitation to appear before The Committee he too was only instructed to apologise and this he did late in the evening in Te Reo – a token apology at best.
Shane Jones however, gave Ferris his pedigree (or more aptly his lack of pedigree) in this excellent speech which I suspect had more of an affect on Ferris than the Privileges Committee decision did.
This brings me back to the unruly Haka fiasco on 16 November 2024 following which the following participants were referred to the Privileges Committee – Maori Party Co Leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer plus Hana-Rawiti Maipi-Clarke as well as Labour’s Hon. Peeni Henari who left his seat to join in the Haka by advancing to the floor of the Parliamentary Chamber which is where the Maori Party people were as well – although he did not actually link up with them.
There is also the suggestion that Debbie Ngarewa-Packer made a pistol with her hands/fingers and allegedly threatened ACT Party Leader David Seymour by a gesture with this.
Peeni Henare was before the Prvileges Committee last evening and reports I have seen indicate his penance was to apologise to The House and Members present for his misdemeanours of joining the Haka and advancing on to the floor of the chamber.
I understand he has already apologised for moving on to the floor of the Parliamentary Chamber but, refuses to do so for participating in the Haka.
What sanctions will this refusal bring from the Privileges Committee?
I suspect there will be none!!
The Herald in an article on 11 March 2025 says this and I quote – `Te Pāti Māori MPs have been asked to appear before the privileges committee at the end of the month, a spokesperson for the party said.’
Bloody hell why wasn’t their attendance with a specific time and date indicated demanded with the rider that non attendance will result in additional sanctions or penalties?
In response The Maori Party said this to the Herald, again a direct quote – “Our tikanga [is] that our MPs are heard as one group, given the haka was a unified response and we are a collective culture. We have not yet responded to the request to appear.”
Who do these people think they are?
Link to the Herald article:
As far as likely sanctions while I have no desire to preempt decisions by the Privileges Committee the following is what I think will be the result.
Hana-Rawiti Maipi-Clark will probably only have to apologise to The House and its Members because of her age and the fact that Speaker Brownlee NAMED her on the day of the Haka. As far as the two Co-Leaders are concerned I believe the least that should happen is that they too be named and suspended from Parliament without pay for at least two days. Plus they both should apologise to The House and all Members immediately.
However, given all of the above who knows what will actually happen – I as sure as hell do not.
No Minister 
I don’t think they need to appear. But if they don’t appear that should be taken as accepting guilt to any allegations before the committee and acceptance of any penalty incurred.
I think you are right JJO.
However given the awe that the Committee seems to be held in one would think attendance in front of it should be mandatory.
I agree with the idea that the two MP “leaders” should be suspended from Parliament or rather that they should be suspended from the Parliament building – somewhere high and by a rope around the neck.
With the Labour fellow I’d lower the rope about 2’6″ and find something else to wrap it around to ensure suspension.
You are a hard man MTT.
I continue to maintain that the best way of dealing with TPM is to starve them of oxygen, which means the privileges committee should leave them alone. If anything, censure will just make them more popular with their own constituents.
Brownlee and his fellow spinless Nats should have insisted that the haka people be banned from the premises and have their pay stopped.
However, all we have is gutless politicians who are too scared the poke the maori bear.
We should know in early April KLOYD.
Maybe Shane Jones will let loose with another speech to humiliate the offenders.