On June 29 all six comments were published in the Letters to the Editor column of the newspaper.
The council noted that Letters to the Editor are usually more considered than comments posted under particular articles. It recommended The Gisborne Herald change the heading if publishing posted comments was to be a regular practice.
On the posting it deemed to be racist the council noted the allegation in the first paragraph effectively was that Maori would not have any of the benefits of technology developed over the last 150 years without the arrival of the Endeavour and what followed.
The allegation in the last paragraph was that they were lucky not to be colonised by a worse group.
These sorts of views are regrettably often expressed and are technically relevant to the issue of what arose from the arrival of The Endeavour.
However, the council said they are based on an absurd and racist premise; that the developments of the industrial revolution, which took place long after the arrival of The Endeavour, would not have been utilised by Maori, presumably because of some inherent defect on their part; that they are inferior.
“In our view, the principle of freedom of expression cannot excuse the decision of The Gisborne Herald to publish such an abusive comment in its Letter to the Editors section.
The statements by “G” go beyond an expression of opinion. The statement is insulting and has the racist overtone of “you would be nothing without colonisation”.
The complaint was upheld by a majority of members.
The full Media Council decision is at www.mediacouncil.org.nz
