Politician Ejected From New Zealand parliament for not wearing a tie (READ DETAILS)
Bernard Nelson
Feb 10, 2021
A leader of the Maori Party has been ejected from the New Zealand parliament for not wearing a tie.
Male MPs can only ask questions in the debating chamber if wearing a tie. Speaker Trevor Mallard twice prevented Rawiri Waititi from asking questions.
"It's not about ties, it's about cultural identity mate," Mr Waititi said while exiting the chamber, local media reported.
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He has called ties "a colonial noose" and wore a greenstone pendant instead.
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After being stopped for a second time, Mr Waititi continued with his question until Mr Mallard ordered him to leave the chamber.
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Mr Waititi called Mr Mallard's treatment of him "unconscionable", adding that he was wearing "Maori business attire".
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Co-leader of the Maori Party, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, who was herself wearing a tie, pleaded her colleague's case but to no avail.
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This is just the latest tie-based spat between the MP and the speaker.
Late last year, Mr Waititi was told that that he would be ejected from the House if he did not wear a tie.
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In his first speech to parliament, he said: "Take the noose from around my neck so that I may sing my song".
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Mr Mallard has said he personally supports a change to the rules on compulsory ties, but kept the rules after he consulted MPs - saying the overwhelming majority of those who wrote to him supported maintaining the tie requirement.
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Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she does not object to people refusing to wear ties, but that there are bigger things to be focusing on.
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"I don't think New Zealanders care about ties," she said.
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— Bernard Nelson