Judith Collins - Arsehole Of The Week

In a move that reeks of authoritarianism, Judith Collins, as chair of Parliament’s Privileges Committee, has overseen the unprecedented suspension of three Te Pāti Māori MPs...Rawiri Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke...for performing a haka in protest against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. This 21-day suspension for the co-leaders and seven days for Maipi-Clarke, without pay, is not just a slap in the face to Māori representation; it’s a blatant attack on democratic expression. Collins calls it “intimidating” and the “worst” behaviour she’s seen in Parliament. Really, Judith? Let’s unpack your own rap sheet and see how it stacks up.

Yesterday, RNZ reported:

The House: Parliamentary privileges - Race as an aggravating factor?

Analysis: On Wednesday, Parliament's Privileges Committee released its final report into the MPs who protested the Treaty Principles Bill with a haka in the House in November 2024.

There was surprise and shock over the recommended punishments for Te Pāti Māori MPs, which seemed both unprecedented and extreme.

 

In retrospect, considering this week's response from Parliament's Speaker, the advice now available from Parliament's Clerk, and Committee Chair Judith Collins' public defence of her own report, that the initial reaction was overly calm. The committee report now appears partisan, indefensible and open to attacks of racism.

…

The committee particularly asked for contextual information about penalties. One member even asked for information about imprisonment.

 

Collins, who is likely the committee member who proposed locking up Māori Party MPs for doing a haka, has a knack for tossing red meat to the racists. Her 2021 speech criticising Labour’s treaty-focused policies as “separate systems” was clearly dog-whistling, stirring up anti-Māori sentiment while feigning concern for disaffected white New Zealanders. Her selective outrage...praising ACT’s C-word slinger Brooke van Velden while crucifying Māori MPs for a haka, shows a double standard based solely on her racism and political alliances.

The haka in question, a cultural expression of resistance widely used throughout New Zealand, didn't even temporarily disrupt the vote (as Collins claimed), on a bill that many see as eroding the Treaty of Waitangi’s foundations. The vote had already occurred before the haka comenced, which was a powerful, non-violent act of dissent. Yet Collins and her committee have weaponised parliamentary rules to try and silence Māori voices.

This is an undemocratic misuse of parliament’s processes, which have been weaponised to punish MPs for peacefully representing their constituents’ outrage. Labour, Greens, and Māori Party members have slammed the penalties as excessive, with Te Pāti Māori’s lawyer, Tania Waikato, calling it an “absolute disgrace.” Collins’ claim that this isn’t about tikanga but about “impeding a vote” is a flimsy excuse to dodge the cultural insensitivity she has put in play. I mean what’s next…sending MPs to the privileges committee for using filibustering to impede a vote?

Now, let’s talk further about Collins’ own track record. In 2014, Collins was sacked as a minister under John Key for her role in the “Dirty Politics” scandal, orchestrating National Party smear campaigns through right-wing bloggers like Cameron Slater. Hypocrisy much? She’s no stranger to undermining democracy when it suits her. Then there’s her 2009 comment about “fat people” clogging up healthcare, a callous jab that dehumanizes an entire group while deflecting from the systemic issues that cause obesity, health issues that many of National’s polices only exacerbate. Then there’s her death threat. In 2013, she told a journalist investigating her conflicts of interest to “meet his maker,” an open call for his killing that’s far more intimidating than any heartfelt haka.

Collins’ selective outrage is telling. She praised ACT’s Brooke van Velden for using the C-word in Parliament, calling it “standing up for herself,” yet a Māori cultural protest is “unprecedented” and deserving of draconian and unprecedented punishment. This double standard exposes a deeper issue: Collins and her ilk are comfortable with parliamentary “civility” only when it upholds their interests and the status quo. The haka challenged that, and they can’t handle it.

This suspension isn’t just about three MPs; it’s about silencing Māori resistance and punishing those who dare disrupt a mechanism of colonial repression. Collins’ history of dirty tactics, divisive rhetoric, and outright threats to private citizens shows she’s no guardian of democracy. If anyone should be suspended, it’s her, for a career of racism and dirty political tactics.

Judith Collins earns this week’s Arsehole Award for suspending Māori MPs over a haka while her own rap sheet (smears, threats, and racist insults) stinks worse than a leaking landfill. Her undemocratic power trip proves she’s less about parliamentary order and more about keeping Māori in check. It’s well past time Judith Collins bowed out of politics. Her particular brand of racism and bias is no longer acceptable in a multicultural country that is eager to move forward.