Thousands of people are gathering to take the final steps in a march on New Zealand’s parliament to demonstrate against a controversial bill seeking to overhaul the country's founding document between British colonisers and Māori people.

Members of New Zealand's parliament have rallied the international community in support of the island country's indigenous groups, as contentious legislation moves forward that could threaten Maori support systems.

Speaker of Parliament Gerry Brownlee condemned the interruption as "grossly disorderly," clearing onlookers from the public gallery and temporarily suspending proceedings.

Hundreds of people on Monday set out on a nine-day march to New Zealand's capital of Wellington in protest over legislation that would reinterpret a treaty at the heart of race relations in the Pacific country.

New Zealand’s parliament descended into chaos as Maori members staged a haka in protest against a bill that would “reinterpret” the country’s founding treaty.

New Zealand's parliament was brought to a temporary halt by MPs performing a haka, amid anger over a controversial bill seeking to reinterpret the country's founding treaty with Māori people.

New Zealand's Parliament was briefly suspended after Maori lawmakers staged a haka to disrupt the vote on a contentious bill that would reinterpret a 184-year-old treaty.

The New Zealand Parliament was suspended after Maori members staged a haka to disrupt the vote on a contentious bill to reinterpret an 184-year-old treaty between the British and Indigenous Maori. The controversial legislation is seen by many Maori and their supporters as undermining the rights of the country’s Indigenous people,