Te Pāti Māori call for joint taskforce to investigate anti-Maori hate speech from white supremacist organisations

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi are calling for the establishment of a joint taskforce between the NZ Security Intelligence Service and the NZ Police to investigate the specific targeting of Māori by right wing extremist groups.

“We are experiencing an unprecedented increase in racist rhetoric across social media by white supremacist organisations that is inciting hate speech and violence against tangata whenua” says Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“Our own research tells us that these organisations are recruiting followers and becoming smarter in the ways they mobilise their platforms. This makes them more difficult to investigate and more dangerous

“We are acutely aware of the National Security indicators that capture specific data about white supremacists organisations and their behaviours and nowhere are there specific indicators that capture terrorism or hate speech against Maori. We need to do better than that” said Ngarewa-Packer.

“Tangata Whenua are on the rise and we are expecting for racists to come out harder and stronger and this is why we believe it is the Government’s responsibility to dedicate resource towards the protection of the indigenous people of their country” said Rawiri Waititi

“Protecting our whakapapa is our priority. We need to protect our people from being the target of racially motivated violence and we also need to protect them from the outcome of their potential retaliation from such threats.

“Yesterday we met with the Minister of National Security, Andrew Little and his executives to put forward our concerns and request the establishment of a joint taskforce. Whilst there was no formal commitment, we were pleased with their swift response and their commitment to engage further with us on these matters” said Ngarewa-Packer

“We are yet to meet with the Minister of Police and Police Commissioner but hope to do so in the coming days

“If we have learnt anything from the Christchurch massacre, it is that it only takes one delusional person with some extreme views about their superiority to wipe out whakapapa” said Waititi

“We are not about to let that happen to our people and we will continue to push this kaupapa until we are satisfied we are being taken seriously and that all the prevention and protection mechanisms are being put in place to mitigate the risk”.

[ENDS]

Media contact:
Kiri Tamihere-Waititi, 027 252 5681

Authorised by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, Parliament Buildings, Wellington