A Māori academic says it is "short-sighted politically" of Judith Collins to criticise the Human Rights Commission's koha to Mongrel Mob Kingdom.
It was revealed today the commission had given the Waikato chapter a $200 koha after Chief Commissioner Paul Hunt attended a hui it organised in May.
The commission told the NZ Herald the koha had been provided in accordance with cultural advice given to Hunt.
The news has prompted the National Party leader to describe it as a "farce" as she called for Hunt's resignation.
"We will see Labour and supporters excusing this and no doubt they will attempt to tie this to race. New Zealanders are sick of that narrative being trotted out to excuse poor decision making by this Government and its agencies," Collins said.
"This is not about race. This is about organised crime and to tie that to Māori and tikanga is actually insulting to the overwhelming majority of Māori who are not in gangs and are just as appalled as New Zealanders of any other race.
"This sends all the wrong messages. The same wrong messages this Government has been sending since they took office in 2017. We have never seen a Government that is so woefully soft on crime."
AUT associate professor Ella Henry says it is politically short-sighted of Judith Collins to criticise the Commissioner’s $200 koha to Mongrel Mob Kingdom. (Source: Other)
ACT Party leader David Seymour also criticised the koha, calling for the commission to be "abolished".
"It has been undermining free speech, cuddling criminals, pushing for more redistribution, and peddling countless woke issues. Time to shut it down."
Last month, senior members of the Waikato Comancheros, Waikato Mongrel Mob and Head Hunters were arrested as part of a global crackdown on organised crime.
However, AUT associate professor Ella Henry (Ngātikahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāti Kuri, Te Rārawa) told 1 NEWS Collins should be looking into her own party's history.
"Need I remind the National Party that Muldoon used to regularly visit gangs for the same reason — that is easier to intervene from the inside than the outside, where we spend billions on jails, courts and police to seemingly no avail."
She said it was "short-sighted politically" to criticise the commission's action, given it could have some positive outcomes in the long-term or lead to a "better relationship" with the gang.
Henry also explained koha is bound up in the notion of reciprocity.
"So as two parties meet, the idea of gift giving shows mana to both parties. If you do not give a gift, then you are depleting their mana.
"If you do not receive a gift, then they are depleting yours."
She said the $200 was a "reasonable" amount of money and had more than likely gone to the kaumātua and kuia who had organised the hui.
Henry said she applauded the commission for going into the gang's world.
"I’m of the view that if this gang or the chapter of the gang … has reached out to the Human Rights Commission, then clearly someone in there is open to change and perhaps an intervention. That would perhaps be the only reason that they would think to invite somebody like the Human Rights Commission to their table. That I see as very positive ...," she said.
"The day Māori people take advice from Judith about what is tikanga Māori, is the day that we will have entered the Twilight Zone."
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