ACT Party leader David Seymour says Te Pāti Māori should be penalised for shunning their Privileges Committee hearing.

Co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi instead called a press conference and confirmed they intended to hold their own hearing at Parliament on May 7.

Seymour says he's not trying to influence the Committee - but he's suggested they recommend cutting the MPs’ pay.

"What you just heard is a group of people who will continue to undermine the institution of Parliament, and therefore those New Zealanders - the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders from every background who are grateful to live in one of the most successful Parliamentary democracies in human history - they're thumbing their noses at all of us."

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