ACT attack Human Rights Commission but then won’t lay a complaint
Human Rights Commission doesn’t condemn ‘How to train your Pākehā’ post on Te Pāti Māori’s Instagram
People who feel “they have experienced discrimination” can lay a complaint, the Human Rights Commission says in response to questions about a controversial social media post on Te Pāti Māori’s Instagram page.
The post infuriated the ACT Party, which said it was waiting for the commission to “condemn this as dehumanising and divisive”.
Earlier this week, a post appeared on Te Pāti Māori’s Instagram page from Eru Kapa-Kingi – who ran for the party in last year’s election. The post began: “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR PĀKEHĀ: A series of responses to racist kōrero for the whānau!”
Kapa-Kingi has shared several similar posts but it was the first such post to appear on the party’s page.
A Te Pāti Māori spokesman said the party was supportive of “any attempt by our own people to overcome harmful rhetoric and threats like weaponsing blood quantum against Māori to assimilate them into a pakehā being”.
The spokesman said that was “colonisation in the modern essence”.
In a statement to a Newshub he went on to say: “I would ask you to check the privilege and intent that you are emboldening with your story.”
The Human Rights Commission did not condemn Te Pāti Māori for the post when asked by Newshub whether it would, but said anyone could complain if they wished to.
“Anyone who feels they have experienced discrimination can contact Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission to lay a complaint,” it said in a statement.
ACT justice spokesperson Todd Stephenson said the party wouldn’t be laying a complaint to the commission – which he called a “vehicle for left-wing activism and which should be abolished”.
…how much of a right wing prat is Todd Stephenson?
He is demanding the Human Rights Commission denounce something but won’t bother making a complain because it’s a “vehicle for left-wing activism and which should be abolished”.
I think Todd Stephenson is a vehicle for right-wing arseholism and he should be abolished’.
You can’t demand the HRC act and then refuse to make a complaint and the damn them.
Todd comes across like a real ideological freak who is as easily triggered as a woke snowflake.
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Well Done Te Pati Maori.
Good stuff from the best Pati there is.
ACT ought to know about ‘divisive’ and ‘dehumanising’. It’s what they are good at.
Todd was born the same place as Bill English. That doesn’t auger well. Something in the water down there. He has that mumbling Mitchell smirk too. Not exactly Mona Lisa, even if a moaner.
A government for and by – snowflakes.
Much like the last two.
I agree that ACT should have made a complaint. Kapa-Kingi’s comment was abhorrent. Imagine for a minute if someone had posted “How to train your Maori”. I bet the Human Rights Commission would have jumped all over it and been issuing media releases left, right and centre on how divisive and “racist” it is. But when a Te Pati Maori member says it, suddenly there is radio silence all round. Appalling. And Yes, I will be laying a complaint because our country should be better than allowing comments that demean others, the very thing the Human Rights Commission is meant to uphold.