Parliament will wait until after the Budget to vote on the Privileges Committee report into Te Pāti Māori, but the recommended punishments will remain unchanged, Leader of the House Chris Bishop said.

“The actions that led to these punishments were unprecedented in their disrespect for Parliament and the taxpayers to whom we are accountable,” Bishop said.

“Our position on the recommended punishments remains unchanged.”

He said it was critical there were consequences for wrongdoing in Parliament.

“Te Pāti Māori’s co-leaders have never accepted what they did was wrong. They have never apologised despite many opportunities, and it is not clear they even accept the jurisdiction of the Privileges Committee. They have never turned up to explain themselves despite numerous opportunities.”

Bishop said the decision to defer the vote allowed all MPs to focus on the most significant event in the parliamentary calendar.

“The Budget is the central Parliamentary event of the year, which gives the House the chance to debate and then either endorse or reject the Government’s spending plans.

“Constitutionally, there is nothing more important than the Budget process which gives the House the opportunity to express confidence in the Government.”

He said deferring the consideration of the report would ensure all members had the opportunity to debate and vote on the Budget.

“If the Leader of the Opposition wants to waste taxpayers’ time by dragging out the debate on the Privileges Committee’s report and advocating for Te Pāti Māori and its breaches of Parliament’s rules, he is welcome to. But New Zealanders will see that for what it is.”