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Race Relations Commissioner Joris De Bres - Source: ONE News -
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The Race Relations Commissioner has sounded a warning to the Act Party about its controversial newspaper advertisement.
The ad, headlined "Fed up with pandering to Maori radicals?" sparked outrage after it urged people to vote for Act to stop New Zealand "morphing into a state where those who are Maori have more rights than those who are not".
It included a comment that it is now much easier for the Maori Party's "mates" to "claim our coastal riches".
Joris De Bres told TV ONE's Te Karere that the advertisement trod a fine line.
"I think what was particularly worrying was the tone of the whole advertisement... some of the language used.
"If you put yourself in the position of Maori reading the advertisement, it really does feel as though you are being misrepresented. You are being demonised to some extent and it's all kind of described as though this is some conspiracy by Maori radicals."
He said such a campaign was particularly worrying in election year. "Do not use the election to increase or create division between one ethnic community and another. Be very careful about not campaigning against an entire community," De Bres said.
Act announced today it will name a new " high profile" candidate at 3pm .
But a former Act MP is distancing herself from the road the party appears to be taking since Rodney Hide was rolled by Don Brash in April.
Deborah Coddington, an Act MP between 2002 and 2005 told Te Karere: "I think Don has been beating this drum since he became the leader of Act and it hasn't worked and he now seems to think if he shouts it even louder Act will go up in the polls. think it's horrifying."
She said the message was not that of the Act Party she had joined and represented.
"In 2002 when I got into Parliament, Act didn't spout this sort of nonsense and it got nine MPs so I don't know what Don and John Ansell think they are doing," she said.
She said she is concerned at the road the new leader is taking.
"Don is now going down a clear racist line, where Maori don't have property rights," Coddington said.
But Brash told Te Karere he was not "Maori bashing".
"Unfortunately I think successive governments have increasingly been giving Maori special status in law," he said.
Dr Maria Bargh, an expert in indigenous relations from Victoria University, told Te Karere Brash's comments in the newspaper were akin to hate speech.
"Don Brash's comments certainly show that the Act party is getting desperate for votes. He is encouraging hate speech with what he is saying and really shouldn't be able to get away with that sort of thing," Bargh said.
"His campaign manager said that one of their aims is to polarise people and certainly that kind of language does polarise different communities and that's not at all what we need at the moment."
Last night former Act leader Rodney Hide distanced himself from the campaign.
"I'm not the leader so it wasn't my decision but it seems to me that in New Zealand and in any society you want your politicians to bring people together," Hide told ONE News .
"That's why I oppose the Hone Harawiras, I opposed Winston Peters and I oppose any ad or approach that works to divide people... so no I didn't agree with it."
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says the Act campaign simply serves to remind him why his party needs to be in Parliament.
"It is so important that I am near the table if Don Brash is in government or if Act is there. Because if this is how they are going to carry on someone has to be there to negate their progress," Sharples said.
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentleo110 said on 2011-07-15 @ 02:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
choppers said on 2011-07-12 @ 21:17 NZDT: Report abusive post
Nothing much more to add other than good on those who speak up against maori snouts in the trough. I know, like 95% of the population, (not 5% like someone mentioned), have had a gutsful of this crap. I has to stop or will never end- racism breeds racism...
ioneeye said on 2011-07-12 @ 19:23 NZDT: Report abusive post
It is more than obvious that Don Brash has opened a can of Worms. The Race Relations spokesperson is now making a big noise. He sat back when Hone made Racist slurs. Who cares what he says as he has shown his hand by not being consistent. Brash has said what most think, there is no place for the Racist Maori Party in Politics.They do get preferential treatment on many handouts. Education, Health,special grants which cover many issues. Millions of given to the privelledged Maori, a cop out.
Grantg said on 2011-07-12 @ 18:24 NZDT: Report abusive post
Im middle class and white. I grew up with no preconceived ideas or prejudices about Maori. They were mates just the same as my "white" mates. I now have to agree with Don Brash, with certain segments of Maoridom and their grasping, greedy calls for wealth. Work for it like the rest of us.
Richard Mayson said on 2011-07-12 @ 17:33 NZDT: Report abusive post
Don Brash seems to be going down the semi literate George Bush junior road, where one doesn't read or let the facts get in the way of a good story. Brash might like to do a google search and re read Nicky Hager's Hollow men. His somewhat incoherently articulated positions there, don't reconcile with his Maori Bashing now. But then when did the apalachian chain lynch mob mentality stop coded racism. His cohorts like Michael Bassett should be drowning in shame.As should he.