The Acting Race Relations Commissioner is "seeking an explanation" over claims the Government is working to reduce references to the experiences of Māori in an anti-racism national action plan.
It follows the formal withdrawal yesterday of the National Iwi Chairs Forum from the working group for the National Action Plan Against Racism (NAPAR), citing a reduced focus on institutional and colonial racism against Māori. The plan is under development by the Ministry of Justice.
After the Christchurch terror attacks the previous Labour Government agreed to develop a national action plan to address racism in New Zealand - resulting in the work underway towards NAPAR.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said his feedback on an early draft of the plan was only that it should focus on racism against all groups as all racism was unacceptable, and it did not negate the voice of Māori.
Acting Race Relations Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Dr Karanina Sumeo said she was seeking an explanation from the minister because she was "extremely concerned that this could in effect be denial of the experiences of racism that Māori endure constantly in Aotearoa".
The biggest collective of iwi leaders is now walking away from the project, Māori Affairs Correspondent Te Aniwa Hurihanganui reports. (Source: 1News)
“Racism in Aotearoa has deep historical economic, cultural, social, political, and spiritual roots, enabled by individuals and within institutions. The ongoing harms to and losses for Māori, must therefore be addressed in a NAPAR if we truly want to eliminate racism."
A 2021 study found 93% of Māori said they experienced racism every day, including racial profiling during shopping. The study was conducted by Te Atawhai o Te Ao the Independent Māori Institute for Environment and Health.
The Human Rights Commission's tino rangatiratanga shared leader Julia Whaipooti said Māori were among the most likely to experience racism in Aotearoa New Zealand.
“It should focus on racism against all groups ... this does not negate the voice of Māori and their experiences of racism.
She said those experiences were "not just one off-isolated events", but often "at a systemic level due to the historic and ongoing suppression of Māori by the process of colonisation".
Whaipooti said the Government needed to demonstrate it was listening and focused on addressing racism against Māori as well as "the many other peoples and cultures who also experience racism in Aotearoa, including Asian, Pacific, and African peoples, and Islamic and Jewish communities".
In response, Goldsmith said the NAPAR was still in draft form and there would be ample opportunity for feedback from all communities before it was finalised.
"I provided direction on an early draft of the plan that it should focus on racism against all groups – as racism against anyone is unacceptable.
"This does not negate the voice of Māori and their experiences of racism. Rather I want to bring into focus the experience of all New Zealanders."
He said he was disappointed to learn of the withdrawal of the National Iwi Chairs Forum from the working group, and the first he'd learned of it was via a media release.
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