Hastings Muslim condemns mosque shootings' Royal Commission

Pippa Marffy pays her respect at the Hawke's Bay Baitul Mokarram Masjid and Islamic Centre Trust memorial service for victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings. Photo / Paul Taylor

A Hastings Muslim has questioned Royal Commission findings that there were "no failures" that could have been detected by New Zealand's government agencies ahead of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks.

Following Tuesday's release of the Royal Commission report into the March 15 killings, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the report identified no errors within government agencies that would have detected the individual's planning and preparation.

Hawke's Bay Islamic Centre Trust media adviser Shujjah Zahid said having a Ministry for Ethnic Communities is what his community needs. Photo / Supplied

But, Hawke's Bay Baitul Mokarram Masjid and Islamic Centre Trust media adviser Shujjah Zahid said someone must be to blame.

"With the Government's apologies, what are they trying to achieve here?," he said.

"The intelligence agencies didn't fail? The police didn't fail? Then who did? Whose failure is it?"

The Government committed in principle to implementing all 44 recommendations from the inquiry into the attack where 51 people were killed.

One recommendation that was made to the Government is establishing a Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

Zahid said it's important to have a ministry specifically for ethnic communities.

"There'll be a voice on the table, that's what we need," he said. "There's a lot to be done in understanding the different cultures in Hawke's Bay, and New Zealand - starting from the smallest of things."

Other recommendations include strengthening anti-terrorism laws, instructing police to establish new programmes that will respond to hate crimes and stop radicalisation to stop this massacre from happening again.

Zahid said it's important that the Government tackle hate crime, making it a criminal offence, and establish a hate crime response team.

The Hastings man, formerly of Hamilton, said he left his previous home because of the way he was being treated right after the shooting.

"Certain things happened and I had to move away from the place. What was said to me once was 'we've killed 50 of you, what the **** are you still doing here'," he said.

Ardern said in her speech there is concern about the role that social media played in the terror attacks.

The report said the terrorist used YouTube for inspiration and information.

"This is a point I plan to make directly to the leadership of YouTube," Ardern said.

Zahid said the comments section on social media is full of hateful comments towards Muslims.

"There are so many things that are said and people get away with it when they shouldn't be," he said.

The flaws highlighted by government, police and New Zealand Intelligence Service included that there was an "inappropriate concentration of resources" on the threat of Islam extremism and shortcomings in the firearms licensing system.

The Prime Minister said implementing some of the recommendations will require further consideration, but the Government want to act quickly where they can.