Privileges Committee orders MP to apologise for haka in the House

Parliament’s Privileges Committee has ordered Labour’s Peeni Henare to apologise to the House for performing a haka in the chamber but ruled his actions were not in contempt.

Henare was one of four MPs who performed a haka during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill in November, alongside Te Pāti Māori’s Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.

“Our view is that this is undoubtedly disorderly behaviour. However, we find that Mr Henare’s actions do not amount to a contempt,” the committee found, recommending that Henare “be required to apologise to the House for acting in a disorderly manner”.

The committee’s finding related only to Henare. No findings have yet been issued regarding the Te Pāti Māori MPs.