New Zealand’s Parliament witnessed a powerful moment on Thursday when 22-year-old Maori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke tore up a copy of the controversial Treaty Principles Bill and performed the traditional haka dance. As Maipi-Clarke, who is the youngest MP in Parliament, ripped the bill, other MPs and spectators joined her in the haka, leading Speaker Gerry Brownlee to briefly suspend the session.
The bill in question, the Treaty Principles Bill, has sparked significant opposition across the country. Under New Zealand’s historic 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, the Maori were promised broad rights over their lands and interests, in exchange for granting governance to the British. However, this bill proposes that those rights should extend to all New Zealanders, a move critics argue could undermine Maori rights.
Since her election in 2023, Maipi-Clarke has made waves as a vocal critic of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his conservative government, which some accuse of limiting Maori rights. The young MP’s stance has resonated with many, even earning her a spot on a poll as one of the five “preferred Prime Minister” candidates, according to local media.
The Treaty Principles Bill has little support and is unlikely to pass into law. Detractors fear it could fuel racial discord and even risk constitutional conflict. Thousands of New Zealanders are travelling the country this week to protest the bill, showing a groundswell of opposition to any move that might affect the promises made to Maori communities over 180 years ago.
A video of Maipi-Clarke’s defiant act has since gone viral, capturing the fierce passion of those committed to upholding Maori rights and traditions.
