Editorial: Racism doesn't have to be blatant

Maori want to co-manage fresh water resources such as the Tukituki river near Haumoana.

The Broadcasting Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against broadcaster Sean Plunket that is highly relevant for Hawke's Bay.

Plunket was found to have breached BSA standards because he "amplified negative stereotypes about Māori".

The BSA said Plunket's comments and approach had the effect of reflecting and amplifying casual racism towards Māori.

His comments, which we aren't going to repeat, "were either intended to encourage harmful tropes and views, or reflected ignorance at a level that is offensive and harmful to Māori".

The finding is relevant to Hawke's Bay Today for several reasons.

As a publisher, we need to make sure that we are not reinforcing those stereotypes. And as a publisher, we are responsible for those types of comments that readers make on Facebook, and in texts to us.

Texts are frequently deleted because they are racist. So are Facebook comments. We ban the commenters.

It is easy to ban blatant racism. As the BSA decision highlights, racism is subtle, it has layers.

This past week, two issues have caused debate amongst our online community of readers. A Māori garden planned for Art Deco week, and Ngati Kahungunu's support for a South Island iwi's bid for co-management with the Crown of fresh water.

In response to the garden, one commenter asked why we needed a Māori garden during Art Deco week, and lamented "why can't we all be one people?".

That comment is laden with racial offence. Not least of all, because for us to "all be one" would require the eradication of our indigenous people.

There's a name for that, it's genocide and it's been out of fashion for some time now.

There were similar comments on the story published about Ngati Kahungunu's support for Ngai Tahu.

Get ready for the country's iwi to back Ngai Tahu on this, because iwi have had enough of the exploitation of a resource that the Treaty of Waitangi should have allowed joint custody if, but as we all know, didn't.

Do a little research into the British conduct of the mid to late 1800s and you'll find that New Zealand isn't the only country that entered into a treaty with the British, who then reneged on the deal.

It is difficult to draw any conclusion other than 'ripped off' if you listen to both sides of the Treaty debate.

In Hawke's Bay, water equals wealth. Rich soils that nurture fruit trees require more water than most commercial exploitations of land. Māori want a say in the use of water and it's not hard to see why.

Hawke's Bay should watch the Crown management and iwi intervention with interest because it has huge implications for this region.

This is where that BSA ruling gives us food for thought. Racism is subtle. And racism is fertilised by ignorance.

Many of us have noted in 2020 'things have changed, do I need to re-evaluate my view on this?"

Next time, before we lament "why can't we all be one people" we should think of the implications beyond that and other comments.

And maybe take the time to inform our views with a little education, as well as emotion.