Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand’s youngest MP, made headlines once again by performing a haka and tearing up a copy of the Treaty Principles Bill during a parliamentary session. The 22-year-old Te Pati Maori MP disrupted the vote on the bill by ripping the legislation in protest before launching into the traditional Maori dance, with the public gallery joining in. The Speaker briefly suspended the House in response to the demonstration.
The bill, introduced by the ACT New Zealand party, seeks to alter some principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, a historic agreement signed in 1840 between the British Crown and Maori chiefs. The bill has sparked significant opposition, particularly among the Maori community. Maipi-Clarke's protest comes amid broader protests, including a nine-day hikoi (march) to Wellington.
While the National Party and New Zealand First support the bill through its first reading, they have pledged not to back it in subsequent readings..