Unplanned Maori dance halts House after speech

New Zealand's parliament was suspended for a short period yesterday when people in the public gallery broke into a haka, a traditional Maori dance, after the newest member of parliament for the Maori party finished her maiden speech.

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Te Pati Maori's Oriini Kaipara was elected to parliament in September to fill a vacant seat and made her first speech to the House yesterday. Following the speech, members of parliament from across the house and those in the public gallery sang a planned and approved Maori song to celebrate her arrival. The public gallery then erupted into an unsanctioned haka and some members of parliament joined in.