Government's Budget Fails Māori
The Government has failed Māori and ignored its Te Tiriti obligations with its Budget, says Te Mātāwaka, the Green Party's Māori and Pasifika Caucus.
"This Budget has no ambition for Māori and ignores te Tiriti o Waitangi. We deserve better and can do much better," says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.
'Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a promise of protection, for our whānau and our whenua. A promise this Government has broken before and has broken again today with this Budget.
'This Budget builds on the Government's legacy of the Treaty Principles Bill, the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora and the repeal of 7AA.
'Budget 2025 strips the Māori Development fund by nearly $10 million, cuts funding to Whakaata Māori even deeper and leaves Whānua Ora with even less than what it was given in the last Budget which we know was far from enough. The cuts made to Māori housing today are also an absolute disgrace.
'Christopher Luxon has clearly given up on even pretending to care about Māori, failing to show up at Waitangi and now failing to provide anything of substance for our communities with this Budget.
'A Green Government will uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi in everything we do. We are here to honour the promises Aotearoa was founded upon.
'We will fill the gaps in our health system that have failed our people across generations by bringing back Te Aka Whai Ora and rolling out free GPs across Aotearoa, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
'Our Hoki Whenua Mai policy means land back for tangata whenua and protection against further acquisitions from the Crown.
'We can do all of this and more by making this a one-term Government, by demanding the rich pay their fair share, and by embedding te Tiriti o Waitangi as the poutokomanawa of our whare ora,' says Marama Davidson.
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Otago Daily Times
6 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Scraping the bottom of the barrel
Just when you think things can't get any worse, they often do. That is precisely what we have seen politically this week when it comes to the behaviour of our politicians. As if Leader of the House Chris Bishop's ill-conceived and poorly controlled ramblings at the Aotearoa Music Awards about a Stan Walker performance featuring Toitū Te Tiriti banners and people waving tino rangatiratanga flags weren't enough, the country had to endure even ghastlier behaviour in Parliament on Thursday. The debate about whether to endorse the recommendation to suspend three Te Pāti Māori MPs really showed New Zealanders the worst of Parliament. Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Rawiri Waititi have now been barred from the House for seven days, 21 days and 21 days respectively for performing a haka in Parliament during debate last November about the waste of time, energy and money that was the Act party's contentious Treaty Principles Bill. Their intimidatory behaviour towards Act MPs then was at the core of the complaints considered by the Privileges Committee. Despite efforts by Opposition parties to reduce the length of the recommended suspensions, the government on Thursday ratified the committee's recommendations for punishments which, in the case of Ms Ngarewa-Packer and Mr Waititi, are the most severe ever handed down to MPs. While there can be little doubt that the behaviour of the three MPs last November was threatening and failed to meet the standards of Parliament, the severity seems unnecessarily vindictive. Interestingly, an RNZ poll of just over 1000 people, with a margin of error of 3.1 %, now shows that most respondents – 37% – think the punishment is 'about right" while 36.2% consider it too harsh. It is 'too lenient" in the minds of 17.2% of those surveyed. Of Labour Party supporters, 8% believe it should have been tougher, as do 3.8% of Green Party followers and, surprisingly, 9% of Te Pāti Māori supporters. The poll shows 54.2% of respondents either support the penalties or think they were too weak, a reflection of the government's view. While the impromptu haka by the three was seen by some as unacceptable and a breach of parliamentary protocol, it was Ms Ngarewa-Packer's foolish mimicry of shooting Act MPs which was the worst and most intimidatory action that day. The second she put her two fingers together, made the pretend gun and pointed it at Act leader David Seymour and colleagues marked the start of this whole sorry saga – though of course it can also be argued the real start came with the introduction of Mr Seymour's divisive Bill, allowed to happen by a prime minister too focused on stitching up a coalition deal with him at the top. The inciting incidents, the response and the reactions this week leave a stain on the reputation of Parliament. Some of the grandiloquence in the House on Thursday was vituperative and unwarranted. NZ First leader Winston Peters went way too far when he likened Mr Waititi's moko to scribbles, though he did apologise after the Speaker's intervention. Mr Waititi also stepped over the line by bringing a noose into the House. It was a bit rich for Mr Peters to tell RNZ it was a sad day in Parliament when he played a significant role in making it that. Parliament is no place for shrinking violets. We have seen that time and time again. It has had more than its share of biffo and nastiness over the years, which never led to suspensions anywhere near the length of those rubberstamped this week. Let us hope we don't see the like of this miserable drama again. Saw that coming It was always going to be a case of 'this town ain't big enough for the both of us". The implosion in recent days of United States President Donald Trump's simpering friendship with Elon Musk, the world's richest man, has been both highly predictable and highly amusing. Mr Musk has become increasingly caustic and is now calling for Mr Trump to be impeached. In turn, the president wants all Mr Musk's government contracts to be cancelled. When two such massive egos meet, there can only be one winner. Who that will ultimately be remains to be seen. In the meantime, let's be honest, the feud provides some much-needed light relief.
Scoop
15 hours ago
- Scoop
Proposed Punishment For Te Pāti Māori MPs For Treaty Principles Haka Stands
Article – RNZ Opposition parties tried to reject the recommendation, but did not have the numbers to vote it down. Parliament has confirmed the unprecedented punishments proposed for Te Pāti Māori MPs who performed a haka in protest against the Treaty Principles Bill. Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi will be suspended for 21 days, and MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for seven days, taking effect immediately. Opposition parties tried to reject the recommendation, but did not have the numbers to vote it down. See how it all unfolded in Parliament The heated debate to consider the proposed punishment came to an end just before Parliament was due to rise. Waititi moved to close the debate and no party disagreed, ending the possibility of it carrying on in the next sitting week. Leader of the House Chris Bishop – the only National MP who spoke – kicked off the debate earlier in the afternoon saying it was 'regrettable' some MPs did not vote on the Budget two weeks ago. Bishop had called a vote ahead of Budget Day to suspend the privileges report debate to ensure the Te Pāti Māori MPs could take part in the Budget, but not all of them turned up. The debate was robust and rowdy with both the deputy speaker Barbara Kuriger and temporary speaker Tangi Utikare repeatedly having to ask MPs to quieten down. Tākuta Ferris spoke first for Te Pāti Māori saying the haka was a 'signal of humanity' and a 'raw human connection'. He said Māori had faced acts of violence for too long and would not be silenced by 'ignorance or bigotry'. 'Is this really us in 2025, Aotearoa New Zealand?' he asked the House. 'Everyone can see the racism.' He said the Privileges Committee's recommendations were not without precedent, noting the fact Labour MP Peeni Henare, who also participated in the haka, didn't face suspension. Henare attended the committee and apologised, which contributed to his lesser sanction. MP Parmjeet Parmar – a member of the Committee – was first to speak on behalf of ACT, and referenced the hand gesture – or 'finger gun' – that Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer made in the direction of ACT MPs during the haka. Parmar told the House debate could be used to disagree on ideas and issues, and there wasn't a place for intimidating physical gestures. Greens co-leader Marama Davidson said New Zealand's Parliament could lead the world in terms of involving the indigenous people. She said the Green Party strongly rejected the committee's recommendations and proposed their amendment of removing suspensions, and asked the Te Pāti Māori MPs be censured instead. Davidson said The House had evolved in the past – such as the inclusion of sign language and breast-feeding in The House. She said the Greens were challenging the rules, and did not need an apology from Te Pāti Māori. NZ First leader Winston Peters said Te Pāti Māori and the Green Party speeches so far showed 'no sincerity, saying countless haka had taken place in Parliament but only after first consulting the Speaker. 'They told the media they were going to do it, but they didn't tell the Speaker did they? 'The Māori party are a bunch of extremists,' Peters said, 'New Zealand has had enough of them'. Peters was made to apologise after taking aim at Waititi, calling him 'the one in the cowboy hat' with 'scribbles on his face'. He continued afterward, describing Waititi as possessing 'anti western values'. Labour's Willie Jackson congratulated Te Pāti Māori for the 'greatest exhibition of our culture in The House in my lifetime'. Jackson said the Treaty bill was a great threat, and was met by a great haka performance. He was glad the ACT Party was intimidated, saying that was the whole point of doing the haka. He also called for a bit of compromise from Te Pāti Māori – encouraging them to say sorry – but reiterated Labour's view the sanctions were out of proportion with past indiscretions in the House. Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the debate 'would be a joke if it wasn't so serious'. 'Get an absolute grip', she said to the House, arguing the prime minister 'is personally responsible' if The House proceeds with the committee's proposed sanctions. She accused National's James Meager of 'pointing a finger gun' at her – the same gesture coalition MPs had criticised Ngarewa-Packer for during her haka – the Speaker accepted he had not intended to, Swarbrick said it was an example where the interpretation can be in the eye of the beholder. She said if the government could 'pick a punishment out of thin air' that was 'not a democracy', putting New Zealand in very dangerous territory. An emotional Maipi-Clarke said she had been silent on the issue for a long time, the party's voices in haka having sent shockwaves around the world. She questioned whether that was why the MPs were being punished. 'Since when did being proud of your culture make you racist?' 'We will never be silenced, and we will never be lost,' she said, calling the Treaty Principles bill was a 'dishonourable vote'. She had apologised to the Speaker and accepted the consequence laid down on the day, but refused to apologise. She listed other incidents in Parliament that resulted in no punishment. Maipi-Clarke called for the Treaty of Waitangi to be recognised in the Constitution Act, and for MPs to be required to honour it by law. 'The pathway forward has never been so clear,' she said. ACT's Nicole McKee said there were excuses being made for 'bad behaviour', that The House was for making laws and having discussions, and 'this is not about the haka, this is about process'. She told The House she had heard no good ideas from the Te Pāti Māori, who she said resorted to intimidation when they did not get their way, but the MPs needed to 'grow up' and learn to debate issues. She hoped 21 days would give them plenty of time to think about their behaviour. Labour MP and former Speaker Adrian Rurawhe started by saying there are 'no winners in this debate', and it was clear to him it was the government, not the Parliament, handing out the punishments. He said the proposed sanctions set a precedent for future penalties, and governments may use it as a way to punish opposition, imploring National to think twice. He also said an apology from Te Pāti Māori would 'go a long way', saying they had a 'huge opportunity' to have a legacy in The House, but it was their choice – and while many would agree with the party there were rules and 'you can't have it both ways'. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said there had been many instances of misinterpretations of the haka in The House and said it was unclear why they were being punished, 'is it about the haka… is about the gun gestures?' 'Not one committee member has explained to us where 21 days came from,' he said. Waititi took aim at Peters over his comments targeting his hat and 'scribbles' on his face. He said the haka was an elevation of indigenous voice and the proposed punishment was a 'warning shot from the colonial state that cannot stomach' defiance. Waititi said that throughout history when Māori did not play ball, the 'coloniser government' reached for extreme sanctions, ending with a plea to voters: 'make this a one-term government, enrol, vote'. He brought out a noose to represent Māori wrongfully put to death in the past, saying 'interpretation is a feeling, it is not a fact … you've traded a noose for legislation'.
1News
15 hours ago
- 1News
Opposition calls for tikanga committee following haka debate
Opposition parties have called for a tikanga committee for Parliament following last night's vote on record suspensions for three Te Pāti Māori MPs who performed a haka to protest the Treaty Principles Bill. Speaking to 1News after the debate, Labour MP Willie Jackson said Speaker Gerry Brownlee should put a tikanga committee in place to be chaired by fellow Labour MP Adrian Rurawhe. Jackson said he was worried the New Zealand Parliament would be "misrepresented around the world" over "the worst suspension" in its history. "That would be disgraceful, given the amount of offences and what's gone on in this House for many years.' He said Parliament could be perceived as being "absolutely racist, which it is not". He acknowledged efforts were being made, but not enough. ADVERTISEMENT 'But if we put Adrian Rurawhe there chairing a Tikanga Committee, we'll be on track.' During the debate, he called on the house to consider a tikanga committee that "all MPs" could work on, to go through Parliament's processes in terms of tikanga Māori and tikanga Pākehā and "come up with a sensible way and strategy going forward". Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said her party would have preferred to pause the Privileges Committee proceedings until the tikanga committee could evaluate the "incorporation of tikanga in Parliament". "This would then allow the Privileges Committee to evaluate the conduct of MPs with any new Standing Orders that arise from this work." Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. (Source: 1News) Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said the Privileges Committee was not "fit for purpose" and a tikanga committee should have enacted the decision, the discussions and feedback. 1News sought a response from Speaker Gerry Brownlee to Jackson's request for a tikanga committee chaired by Rurawhe. Brownlee's office said: "Mr Speaker has no comment." ADVERTISEMENT Other members of Parliament made reference to the importance of a discussion on tikanga during last night's debate. Interpreting the haka with 'no experience or knowledge' Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said it was an "absolute insult" to Māori to hear people with no experience or knowledge about haka interpret the haka. 'Whether they believe it disorderly, whether they believe it violent, it is an absolute insult to sit here and listen to peoples' interpretation of haka.' ACT MP Karen Chhour agreed discussion around tikanga, te ao Māori, and "all those other issues" may need to be addressed in the future. Green MP Ricardo Menendez-March said he welcomed the call to review the rules of Parliament to better incorporate tikanga. Labour MP Arena Williams said the debate wasn't just about disorder but the "discomfort that happens when Māori protest in a way that the House hasn't learned to accommodate". ADVERTISEMENT "Let's learn from this. Let's bring tikanga into our practice. Let's do our best to understand it, so that we can represent the people who need us." Haka echoed through Parliament and beyond Last night's vote brings to a close a six-month-long process that has resulted in a 21-day suspension for Te Pāti Māori leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and a seven-day suspension for MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke. Te Pāti Māori MPs in the House. (Source: 1News) In November, the three MPs and Labour MP Peeni Henare performed a haka in response to the first reading of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. Henare appeared in front of the Privileges Committee in March, and it was recommended he apologise to the House. The three MPs for Te Pati Māori were referred to the committee but ignored initial summons to appear in-person, claiming an injustice as they had been denied legal representation and were unable to appear together. ADVERTISEMENT Last month, the Privileges Committee found the trio had acted "in a manner that could have the effect of intimidating a member of the House in the discharge of their duty". The report said it was not acceptable to approach other members on the debating floor and "particularly unacceptable" for Ngarewa-Packer to "to appear to simulate firing a gun" at another member of Parliament. The committee's recommended suspensions drew criticism from the three Opposition parties. The Speaker said it was 'unprecedented', and that no member of Parliament has been suspended for more than three days since it first sat in 1854. He said it was important all perspectives and views were shared before a decision was made on the recommendation, meaning all MPs would be able to voice their opinion if they wished. The debate was initially set to take place on Budget Day (May 20), but Leader of the House Chris Bishop deferred it to last night.
