On the question of Debbie Ngarewa-Packer being suspended for 21 days, it passes with 68 in favour, 54 votes opposed.

The one fewer vote opposed reflects that Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke has been suspended and therefore cannot vote.

On the question of Rawiri Waititi being suspended for 21 days, it passes with 68 in favour, 53 votes opposed.

The vote is now happening on the sanction for Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke.

It passes with 68 in favour and 55 opposed, meaning she has been suspended for seven days.

The vote is now happening, including on amendments.

Chris Hipkins' amendment – defeated. Ayes 55, noes 68.

Marama Davidson's amendment – defeated. Ayes 55, noes 68.

NZ First MP Casey Costello says what happened last year at the Treaty Principles Bill debate was "performative outrage to make a point" and the House had to be suspended to bring it to order. 

We have rules and these can be changed, but you change it from within the system, Costello says.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi has held up a noose in Parliament, saying those in power had "traded the noose for legislation". 

He said this may be "confronting", but said those in power were making out to Te Pāti Māori voters that the party is violent but it hasn't created the violence.

 He says: "We will not be silenced, we will not be assimilated, and we make no apology for being Māori."

Labour's Arena Williams has spoken, also encouraging MPs to support Labour's proposal shortening the proposed suspensions. 

She is followed by Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, one of those subject to the proposed sanctions.

He says it is an "insult" listening to people's interpretations of haka, and the Privileges Committee rummaged through Parliament's rules to find a way of punishing them. 

He says it is "unclear" why the party's MPs are being punished. He questions if it is the haka, the hand gestures, or because the MPs approached the Act seats. No committee member has explained where the proposed 21-day suspension has come from.

He says the haka was an elevation of indigenous voice and the proposed punishment is a "warning shot from the colonial state that cannot stomach" defiance. 

It is meant to intimidate an entire people into submission, Waititi says. 

The Government is intending to roll back indigenous rights, Waititi claims. 

"It is a war on Māori," he says.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is now speaking.

She's primarily criticising the Government and members of the Privileges Committee.

She believes the party's MPs were pre-judged and the "committee has lost its way".

It is Government-driven and "biased", Ngarewa-Packer says.

The MP notes the party made several requests of the committee, such as to have legal counsel and a tikanga expert at the committee, and it was denied.

She suggests it is unfair to say Te Pāti Māori wasn't willing to meet halfway.

She says there has been "bullying" of Maipi-Clarke because she went viral with her haka.

Ngarewa-Packer asks "where are the safety mechanisms" to protect Maipi-Clarke and Te Pati Māori.

She says her party is "transformational" and doesn't have the luxury of time to make change incrementally.

When you know the foundations of your house is rotten, then you need to stop building on them, she says.

Adrian Rurawhe, a Labour MP and former Speaker, says there are no winners in this debate.

Parties may think they are winning by speaking to the people that support them, but there are no winners, "none, especially not this House," Rurawhe says.

He says the Privileges Committee is a committee of Parliament and not of the Government.

"It is demonstrably clear to me that it is the Government that is punishing the Members today, not the Parliament," he says. 

If it was Parliament, there would be bipartisan support, he suggests.

It is a "dangerous precedent" not to have that bipartisan support from the Privileges Committee.

Governments of the future will feel very free to use the Privileges Committee penalties to punish their opponents if this goes forward, he says.

Rurawhe implores Te Pāti Māori to think about how it may go a long way to apologise and to think about their long term strategy.

Rurawhe says both Te Pati Maori and National needs to change their positions on the Privileges Committee recommendations.

Photo / Mark Mitchell

 Act MP Nicole McKee says it is a stupid statement to say you will suspend the Treaty for 21 days, and the MPs supporting that should give up all their wages if that is so. 

That is a disappointment to Māori, McKee says. 

"Utter contempt, not only for the Treaty, but also for the process."

Act MP Nicole McKee says people have fought battles to ensure New Zealand is a democracy and we should be proud of it. 

She says this is not about the haka, but about process and "grandstanding at the expense of this House".

It is about being "ignorant and arrogant", McKee says.

You don't have to agree with every law, but we have a process to disagree, the Act MP and minister says.

As McKee talks about unifying the country, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says it is her party dividing it.

Photo / Mark Mitchell