'My taonga is my tie' - Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi
Parliament's dress code debate was reignited on Tuesday as Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi entered the House, not wearing a European-style tie. Waititi, wearing a hei tiki taonga around his neck, was denied the right to speak and eventually kicked out of the House by Speaker Trevor Mallard. Parliament's rules require members to dress in "appropriate business attire". Currently this includes men wearing ties. Mallard last year announced he would reconsider the requirement, saying he himself believed the tie rule to be outdated. But ultimately he ruled that the dress standard would remain as that was the will of the majority of MPs. "My taonga is my tie," Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi told Checkpoint.