Te Pāti Māori co-leader, Rawiri Waititi, has been suspended from Parliament following a majority vote by political parties.
The decision stems from comments made by Waititi in the House last week, seemingly referencing a suppressed court case, by invoking parliamentary privilege.
Following objections from other MPs to Waititi’s commentary, Speaker of the House, Adrian Rurawhe, vowed to review the comments.
Rurawhe said this afternoon that Waititi’s conduct was “grossly disorderly.”
“Therefore, I name and call on the House to judge his conduct.”
The suspension is to last for 24 hours. He will be stripped of his voting rights during the suspension period.
Parliamentary privilege
Waititi was absent from the House during the vote because he was appearing as a model for Kiri Nathan’s opening New Zealand Fashion Week show.
Te Pāti Māori’s co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, voted against the motion.
The convention, of “parliamentary privilege,” ensures MPs can speak without fear of legal repercussions like defamation suits within the House.
The custom, originating from the UK’s parliamentary system has, however, seen revisions in New Zealand.
Two standing orders (rules governing Parliament) have been introduced, barring politicians from mentioning names that courts have suppressed. Some scholars argue the orders undermine the foundational principle of Parliament, an MPs’ right to unfettered speech.
Recent high-profile cases, like the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane, have also seen criticisms of New Zealand’s liberal use of name suppression more broadly, with some politicians arguing it challenges the convention of open justice.
The penalty of “naming” is an austere measure, reserved for the most grave breaches of Parliament’s rules.
It comes from the time MPs were referred to as “the member” rather than using their given names and means the MP is barred from having a vote cast, from sitting on a committee or entering the debating chamber.
Waititi will have the day’s pay deducted from his salary.
Rurawhe pointed to the line trodden between Parliament and the judiciary.
“The words Mr Waititi used in the House indicate that he believed that the matter concerned was subject to a suppression order and yet he raised it without first notifying the Speaker,” he said.
“Parliament’s relationship with the courts is of utmost constitutional importance, reckless use of the freedom of speech enjoyed by the House damages that relationship and undermines the standing of this parliament and the privileges on which it depends,” he said.