Bringing the House into disrepute

Last month we all thrilled to see Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke's haka in parliament in response to National's racist, anti-constitutional Treaty "Principles" Bill. Of course, the targets of that haka did not like someone speaking so forcefully and well against them - so they had Maipi-Clarke named and suspended from Parliament for a day. And now, National's Speaker has sent her and three other MPs to a kangaroo court for further punishment:

Four opposition MPs who left their seats as part of the haka at the end of the Treaty Principles Bill debate last month have been referred to the privileges committee.

They include Te Pāti Māori MPs Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and Labour's Peeni Henare.

Speaker Gerry Brownlee said the haka was "disorderly and disruptive".

I use the phrase "kangaroo court" because that's exactly what the privileges committee is: a bunch of MPs, on which the government has an automatic majority, which decides cases on partisan lines and which can impose arbitrary punishments. And when the government are white supremacists, its difficult not to see this as just another racist organisation, upholding white supremacy under the guise of "decorum" and "civility" (because, remember, reminding people they're being racist and responding appropriately to their racism is uncivil) - not to mention just an outright abuse of process, a politicised pretence of "justice" which is really just an exercise of power by the majority to silence and discipline the minority. And that seems like it will have a significant effect on the public legitimacy of parliament.

If Maipi-Clarke and the others are "convicted" by this sham-court, it will be a badge of honour. It will also be a badge of shame for parliament. The entire process brings the House into disrepute. And there's a name for that: contempt. Maybe Brownlee should report himself to his own kangaroo court for it?