December 07, 2023
Māori Party theatrics bring out art critic in Jones
NZ First MP Shane Jones has written to the new speaker, Gerry Brownlee, asking him to rule on Te Pāti Māori’s approach to the giving of the parliamentary oath of allegiance.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, the party’s six MPs added an oath to support Te Tiriti o Waitangi and mokopuna, and some of them referred to King Charles as King Harehare – which could be interpreted as an eczema or rash.
Mr Jones says he wants the speaker to lay down his expectations about conduct and decorum in the House.
“I don’t want to undermine the Clerk of the House – I’m sure the Clerk of the House was confident the intent was there but t is arguable the term was taking the piss or if it was a genuine thing but my point of writing the letter to Gerry is there is a great saying, start as you mean to go on, and if we are going see three years of this kind of theatrical behaviour, I certainly don’t want to see an¥ more edible art or wearable art in parliament,” he says.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters who first entered Parliament in 1978, backed up Mr Jones and said the way Te Pāti Māori took the oath showed a contempt for Parliament.