Māori Council announces plan to rid New Zealand of racism by 2040
Monday, 10 February 2020
The 'growing' issue of racism in New Zealand needs to be addressed, the Māori Council says, as it unveiled plans to establish a national task force against it.
Matthew Tukaki, executive director of the NZ Māori Council, said New Zealand had a 'hidden closet' of racism which the council aimed to end before 2040.
Tukaki called on the Māori Affairs Select Committee to launch an inquiry into what it claimed was 'institutional racism' within New Zealand's public service sector.
'It's shameful - we must set ambitious targets to rid the nation of racism,' he said.
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The council is also preparing a case with the Waitangi Tribunal in respect to what it claims is institutional racism within the police force.
'We all know those snide comments and remarks hold deep entrenched views when it comes to people of colour.
'It's not just a Māori and Pākehā thing – it's a people of colour issue.
'Māori know what it feels like to be treated as second class citizens in our own country and the issue of racism not only appears across our communities and homes it's in our institutions and workplaces,' Tukaki said.
'Many New Zealanders and certainly many Māori, have a story about racism and something is so obviously wrong. Complaints are made to the human rights commission – and yet nothing ends up getting done because they themselves have no teeth, enough is enough.'
Tukaki said the country could end racism through better education and resources, from sharing stories and building a better system of race relations.
Jurist Sir Eddie Durie will be the inaugural chair of the taskforce and Tukaki said the group would be open to other cultures and have a diverse background when it meets for its first meeting in May in Rotorua.
Responding to the council's claim of institutional racism within the police force, Police Commissioner Mike Bush agreed the 'potential for unconscious bias' was something police needed to be aware of.
'As Commissioner I meet with every new recruit at the beginning of their training, where I emphasise the importance of living the organisation values, and also talk to the role and impact they will have as police officers, on the over-representation of Māori within the criminal justice system.
'In 1996 we introduced a Responsive to Māori strategy, created Iwi Liaison Officer positions and established both regional and national Cultural Advisory Groups. Across Police we are dedicated to addressing the needs of Māori whether they be victims, offenders, or iwi and Māori organisations.
Bush said in the past six years, 12 dedicated Māori Responsiveness Managers had been established, along with a Deputy Chief Executive Māori position.
Recruitment targets for Māori had also been set and one of the five national operational targets was to reduce Māori reoffending by 25 percent, Bush said.
The council also wants to see a complete review of the legislation of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.
The Human Rights Commission has been contacted for comment.