National’s Nicola Willis and Greens co-leader Marama Davidson clash over ‘racist’ accusation
National MP Nicola Willis and Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson have been at loggerheads over an accusation of racism and classism.
Willis was quoted this week saying she did not feel safe in central Wellington, blaming an increase in emergency housing and larger gang presence.
Davidson tweeted that people “need to be mindful of the racist and classist undertones that she [Willis] is running her ‘safety’ narrative on”.
Marama Davidson and Nicola Willis are locked in a battle of who can be the most offended.
Willis claims she no longer feels safe in central Wellington because smelly poor brown people are being housed there (or words to that effect)
Marama wasn’t putting up with that and threw shade at the narrative Willis was attempting to cash in on by calling it racist and classist.
Nicola hilariously has respond by taking offence.
You can’t state you are fearful of walking down the street and then define that fear using a bunch of negative stereotypes about the homeless and still maintain sympathy.
Now while Marama was righteous in calling out Willis’ white girl fears, the legitimate concerns many women feel in public, sparked by the recent murder of Sarah Everard, has to be recognised as a genuine societal problem that demands urgent attention.
It is the mark of a civil society that everyone has the same agency, It is unacceptable that women, the disabled, people of colour, migrants and queer are threatened or intimidated in public, because everyone should feel safe to go about their business free of fear and harassment.
That’s why when you are expanding homeless programs or providing social services they must be robust and well funded enough to cope with the myriad of issues many who have been failed under Nationals 9 years require.
Nicola’s fears are based on her limitations of experience, but they are legitimate for many other women and minorities in society.
Marama must denounce dog whistle politics while acknowledging many women share those same fears of being in public.
This combined with Julie Anne Genter’s brilliant housing policy and Golriz’s righteous attack on Australia ends probably the best week in politics the Greens have had in years.
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Whether or not New Zealand emerges from the greatest economic depression in its history intact will have very little to do with petty squabbles of some back bench MPs.
Actually Sam, the petty squabbles you decry at least give a measure of the quality of the politicians who will be responsible for the decisions that will be needed to take the country out of a depression intact. Should more credit be given to a dog whistler or to someone who appears to place some importance on inclusiveness of the disadvantaged. Although written off by you as back-benchers, one is a party co-leader and the other is being groomed for upper levels within her party.
For decades there has been zero amounts if central government control over the place.
No one has any idea who builds anything. After Square and the Aucklanx Museum needs to be reintroduced as an institution and an arts centre before we could even contemplate transforming New Zealand poverty or racism or what ever and reinstall a sense of pride.
Courtney Place and Manners St have really gone down hill in the past 20 years. It’s a dump and it certainly feels none too safe after dark. I think the crime stats back that up.
But if it is the homeless and transitional residents that are contributing to this problem then this is simply the way it has to be. You play monopoly with housing in a never lose, highly encouraged, highly leveraged cheap money orgy of greed and this is the price society pays. Hiding people away wherever you can stuff them so “good” people don’t realise what a disaster our housing really is is exactly the same as sweeping ones unwanted problems under the carpet. But the pile under the rug is getting mighty big nowadays Jacinda!
Ironically this National MP is right but her party is a large part of the problem. And then there’s the equally culpable Labour/Greens who have sat on their expansive arses allowing housing to go beyond crisis point.
Something has to give. Pity our useless politicians couldn’t care less.
In planet real world (note Grey Lynn isn’t in the real world) people are starting to get fucked off about
A) the increasing Gang members visible in public
B) the increasing social issues around homelessness
C) the increasing woke Maoridom and call out culture on any criticism levelled on the above
The government better tread warily here – There is a building ground swell of anger amongst even the sheeple. Sticking people in motels and then putting their fingers in their ears is hardly transformative.
Marama had overall a shit week – when you are on $250k and 3 months through the year and all you can show is 2 meetings and no policy you look extremely lazy. With the economy showing signs of finally faltering this will go down like a lead balloon.
I live in the Far North. I am non Maori. I am now and always have been extremely grateful for the fact that Kaitaia is a Black Power town. I have never felt unsafe even when I worked in town at night. In the 40 or so years I have paid rates up here there has been little gang violence.There is drug related violence that covers all classes and racial groups.But there is only one gang and the attempts to steal territory have been few indeed. Black Power in my experience has always been about community and supporting whanau. I am ignorant of their business dealings but to the best of my knowledge the local chapter is anti meth. Go figure.
Thanks Shona I have always thought the real gangs are the business suited, white shirted numb skulls that hold the power frankly. This of course includes the politicians who have their own vested interests.
And in the mix is Rotary, you know the businessmen’s club that likes to do ‘good works’ good works mean you raise some money and you give it to some outfit that you deem is respectable and doing good things.
Rotary never ever wants to change the status quo. They want to keep hold of their supposed ‘earnings’ and dole out to those that they think are deserving, they will never have signed a petition or marched for any underdog in their life.
Michal: “….Rotary, you know the businessmen’s club that likes to do ‘good works’…”
Throw off at them all you like; it isn’t gangs of Rotary types going round this suburb nicking stuff and fighting in the streets and cooking meth.
Shona: “….Kaitaia is a Black Power town.”
Lucky you: you’ve been spared the violence over conflicting territorial claims which has plagued many other areas.
“I have never felt unsafe even when I worked in town at night. In the 40 or so years I have paid rates up here there has been little gang violence…”
Again: lucky you. Not so many years ago, the Wellington CBD was pretty safe, and felt safe. It isn’t now.
In this area, we have constant problems with burglaries and attempted burglaries. The police have told us that it’s drug-related: drug addicts pinching stuff to pay their debts to the gangs, which control the drug trade hereabouts.
D’Esterre, it is not just the Wgtn CBD which is unsafe, and as you say, crime seems to be drug related. At least two outer western suburbs, Wilton and Karori, have had their rates shoot up since the advent of gangs in the areas- Karori crime stats now equal Canons Creek, while old ladies in Wilton fear walking their
once peaceful streets.
I still walk locally at night, but wipe my outside door handles and knocker so that there’ll be nice clear sets of fingerprints for the cops – two or three streets away, cars get regularly broken into, as well as properties, plus the odd murder. Some don’t bother reporting car break-ins unless they have to for insurance purposes.
Obviously female MP’s socialising in The Mermaid at 2am during lockdown feel safe doing so, but the Greens may have special magical powers which others do not, and I’m hoping that more high calibre entertainment isn’t impacted upon now that it isn’t very safe even parking around the Courtney Place area at night.
Snow White: “…..it is not just the Wgtn CBD which is unsafe…”
You’re quite right. This neck of the woods is experiencing constant problems: we know where the gangs are being housed in our neighbourhood, and we’ve seen the police ops. at one of their places: armed officers, the drug detection people, multiple police cars, the whole bloody nine yards…
“….Wilton and Karori….”
Yes, we’ve watched developments there with apprehension. Wilton isn’t so far away: we’ve heard that it’s the Nomads there. The Nomads are also now believed to be in this area.
“….it isn’t very safe even parking around the Courtney Place area at night.”
And news today that the police in the CBD are looking for free parking in the area, because even police staff no longer feel safe walking to their cars.
What has this government unleashed?
Don’t blame this govt. Fifteen years ago I was aware
that cops based at Central were having to park their cars outside Wgtn, or in the Spotlight car park, then walk into the CBD. Most were living outside of Wgtn – Porirua, Tawa, the Hutt Valley, as Wgtn was unaffordable. Some little prat of a colleague whose partner worked in admin at Central told me that the admin staff had priority for the official police car parks. Tough on the actual coppers working dangerous night shifts, and anti-social hours, trying to fit in family time, and school runs, far less logistically challenging for the 9-5 public servants, and the pollies with chauffeurs.
Snow White: “Don’t blame this govt.”
But I do, and rightly, when it comes to the unsafe CBD, and the increasing lack of safety in suburbs such as this one. It is the government which is responsible for MSD putting into CBD accommodation, large numbers of people who – the evidence suggests – don’t give a toss about either the law, or the rights of their fellow citizens. We’re having exactly the same problems in the Auckland CBD.
It is government policy failures which have brought us to this parlous situation. The last lot were bad: the current lot are much worse.
“Fifteen years ago I was aware that cops based at Central were having to park their cars outside Wgtn, or in the Spotlight car park, then walk into the CBD.”
I remember that. It had to do with exorbitant parking charges, as I recall.
The current situation relates to safety. Many police staff, especially at headquarters, are civilian. They’re as likely as ordinary citizens to feel intimidated by the CBD as it now is. And street parking may well feel less unsafe than parking buildings, unless said buildings have security staff. And good luck with that……
Yep. I opposed the Wellington City Council trying to ban beggars, but all of a sudden, I am giving less to the folk on the streets. It’s a hard one.
Along Lambton Quay, these are not the poor women of Rome sitting on the pavement with their foreheads pressed to the ground in front of them. These are people with whom it is better not to make any eye contact.
I hope that the street vendors illicitly selling their home-made jewellery, and paintings ,and self- published booklets of poetry and stories, are not gone away forever; I can cope with being muttered at by a money or ‘bus fare’ asker, but abuse can be hard to take; our worst one is a woman, always occupying the same place at an intersection, sitting by the litter bin, angry as hell.
Race should never have been brought into this whole issue – it’s divide and rule.
“Willis claims she no longer feels safe in central Wellington because smelly poor brown people are being housed there (or words to that effect)”
Actually Martin, she said nothing of the Fucking sort, but hey, as usual, why let the truth get in the way of a good story
Someone didn’t give too much consideration of the dynamics of Trumpism and dog whistles. Yes, Willis said something “of the Fucking sort” but couched it in such a way that the Garys of this world can deny the intent of her subliminal message. In doing so, they ensure that the ultrasound travels among and excites the prejudices of the intended recipients
“Subliminal message” OH FFS. Then I suggest you go for a walk around those areas and see how “subliminally scared” you feel. If it makes you feel better, in my 67 years I have been shit scared of white boys out to have a crack at anyone out on the street. Bringing in the race card into it like Davidson has is the only way she can fight back.
Gary – Correct. I don’t like Nicola W, but the Manners St/ Courtney Place/ iconic Pigeon Park precinct is no longer safe, day or night. Ask any business owner or worker in that area. It is a totally stupid place to be housing groups of adult blokes with nothing to do all day – apart from drugs, fights, and intimidating people, including each other.
The fact that they may be mainly Maori enables Davidson to do a Markle and claim that Willis is being racist, and claiming ‘classist’ as well is particularly odious, as this is Davidson labelling Maori as low class, which is also absurd. I think that we all know enough to know that homelessness is a terrible tragedy which can befall
anybody, and not necessarily through any fault or failure of their own. The reasons are myriad. Toss in mental health issues, drug issues, and lack of employment or meaningful social interactions, and it is probably inevitable that troubling scenarios will develop.
Further, under the covid regulations, apparently every 17 year old who falls out with Mum or Dad, or is just bored with living in Carterton or Dipton can turn up and tell the police that he is homeless, and needs to be housed.
Yes, the socially ruinous National government is largely responsible for engineering the homeless situation, but twisting Willis’s statement of fact about downtown Wellington into a race issue doesn’t seem to me to be a very smart or honest ploy on Davidson’s part – nor does it make it any safer.
I’m surprised the National party has a back bench. I thought you could have squeezed them all in at the front.
Boomboomtish
As Associate Minister for Housing with responsibility for addressing homelessness, Marama will bring her expertise and commitment to create real change for our communities.
Well since October of 2020, I’ve managed to start and finish 5 house rewires, have a row of 6 flats to fit out, 4 commercial premises to refit electrically, attend 15 breakdowns, install 3 Spa pools, go hunting for a week, help moving house for friends twice, been to Nelson for a wedding, had 10 days off over Christmas in which to finish doing my switchboard, install a DVS, bedside lights, new towel rails, walk the dog daily, get to the Gym 3 days a week, quote 6 other jobs play touch every Thursday, take my daughter triathlon training every Saturday, attend basketball every Wednesday, make the school lunches, do the drop off visit my folks every week, mowthe inlaws lawns, play a bit of golf, do the invoicing, pay the GST
And yet Davidson has not produced one paper in her role as A ssociate Minister of Housing. What quality Politicians we have. Fucking pisstakers,not riding the gravy train, they are driving the fucking thing.
Davidson may be busy working with the linguistic challenges involved in the politically correct naming of the female anatomy, a big task when not only are there constantly evolving numbers of genders, but some researchers now say that gender does not even exist, and is a social construct. That’s a different sort of construct from building walls and floors and rooves to keep the rising damp and the falling rain off folk who don’t care about social constructs, but who just want their children to have a home to grow up in.
You’re a fucking legend in your own undies!
Can I suggest you become a politician, you seem to know fucking everything about them!
Well he knows a shit load more than you, tell us what Davidson has done?????
She done her hair.
Snow White: “She done her hair.”
Hahaha! True that…
Nuance doesn’t sell in politics.
Are the citizens of Nspier Gisborne Taopo
Rotors all racists as the have complain about the same issue Marsmaralost her right to call racist after her speech at the church massacre memorial service
A police officer has been charged with the murder of Sarah Evered, not a poor brown homeless person, if it wasn’t so tragic it could be called irony.
…”This combined with Julie Anne Genter’s brilliant housing policy and Golriz’s righteous attack on Australia ends probably the best week in politics the Greens have had in years”…
—————–
Then they need to keep it up then and stop making foolish gaffs.
Spot on Marama. The Greens are providing more meaningful opposition to Labour than Natz and Act. The media are going ape over trying to discredit Jacinda and Labour. The right-wing are totally useless. What a joke Natz raising housing, homelessness, child poverty, etc. Natz have never worried about brown or poor people, housing, jobs, woman – just old boomer men. What has Natz and their tory press mates concentrated on lately – opening a bubble with Australia, front of queue with vacines, Taiwan, wanting Jacinda to apologise to covid breakers, and the herald with another pack of old loser commenatators. No one cares a shit – maybe some talkback hosts and their callers. What aclever educated lot. Today I heard there is a 3rd wave of covid going through Europe and other countries are slowly coming out of covid (and going back). I would still be weary of opening a bubble with Oz – they still havent opened all their state borders. There arent many countries in the world I would want to go to for a while. As I say, all you pessimistic, negative, foolish tories out there, REJOICE and enjoy the freedom that Jacinda, Ash and the scientists have given our country.
“This combined with Julie Anne Genter’s brilliant housing policy and Golriz’s righteous attack on Australia ends probably the best week in politics the Greens have had in years.”
Christ….is THIS the best they can do?
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