• By Priyanka Koul
  • Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:37 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand’s youngest-ever Member of Parliament, has once again made waves with a powerful protest in the House. Known for her viral haka performance during her first speech in Parliament last year, the 22-year-old Te Pati Maori MP has now taken a stand against a proposed law that many Māori see as a threat to their rights.

During a parliamentary session, Maipi-Clarke interrupted the proceedings by tearing up a copy of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. This was followed by her performing haka, the traditional Maori war dance, to express her opposition to the bill. The public gallery joined in, lending their support to the protest, which led to Speaker Gerry Brownlee briefly suspending the proceedings.

Watch New Zealand MP Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke Tears up Bill

What’s the Treaty Principles Bill?

The bill, introduced by the ACT New Zealand party, seeks to change how the Treaty of Waitangi is interpreted. Signed in 1840 between the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs, the Treaty set the groundwork for how Maori and the Crown would work together in governing New Zealand. Its principles continue to guide the country’s laws today. However, many Maori leaders and activists argue that the proposed changes would erode the treaty’s original intent and undermine indigenous rights. 

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MP Maipi-Clarke’s protest comes as part of a broader movement against the bill. As the bill passed its first reading in Parliament, hundreds of people joined a nine-day hikoi (protest march) from the North Island to Wellington, the capital, to show their disapproval.
For many Maori, the bill represents a direct challenge to the treaty’s original promises. As a result, Maipi-Clarke’s protest is part of a larger effort to protect Maori rights and sovereignty.

While the ACT party is pushing for the bill’s changes, it has not had universal support. Two other parties in the current government coalition—the National Party and New Zealand First—have supported the bill only through its first reading. Both have stated they will not back the bill if it moves forward.

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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon criticized the bill, calling it oversimplified. He said, "You do not go negate, with a single stroke of a pen, 184 years of debate and discussion, with a bill that I think is very simplistic."

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