The co-leader of New Zealand's Māori Party has been kicked out of parliament after he was accused of breaching a dress code which requires male politicians to wear a tie when asking questions.
Rawiri Waititi attempted to ask two questions in the New Zealand parliament on Tuesday but was repeatedly stopped by the Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard. When he continued to speak, he was ejected from the chamber.
He argued he was wearing the Māori equivalent of a tie, a stone pendant around his neck, which he described as "Māori business attire".
“It’s not about ties, it’s about cultural identity mate,” he said as he was ejected from the chamber. Mr Waititi has previously labelled ties a "colonial noose".
"This is a breach of the rights of Indigenous peoples, we have the freedom to be able to practice our cultural identity in a space like this," he continued.
"I'm constantly made to feel like something I'm not, that's not part of my culture - ties."
Mr Waititi said he believed Mr Mallard's conduct was "unconscionable" and vowed to continue to fight the rule, which the Speaker said was reinstated last week after consultation with Members of the Parliament.
"The significant majority of members who responded made it clear that ties were part of business attire," Mr Mallard said.
The Māori Party leaders did not participate in the consultation, with Mr Waititi stating he believed his attire would be permitted under cultural exceptions to the rule.
Following the incident, Mr Waititi tweeted a photo of an email reportedly sent to all members which said there was no change to Standing Orders that "supported members dressing in formal wear of the cultures they identify with".
Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Parker chose to wear a tie despite not being required to as a woman.
The stoush took place just days after , which commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi by representatives of the British crown and Māori rangatira.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she had no personal objection to ties not being worn in parliament, but that there were more important things to address, reported.
"I don't think New Zealander's care about ties," she said.
