James Hardie invites waitress to meet man who racially abused her at Auckland Viaduct restaurant

Mia Griffiths. Photo / Supplied

The company that hosted a dinner where a young Māori waitress was racially abused has invited her and her whānau to meet those involved.

Mia Griffiths and her whānau told the Herald they were yet to decide whether to take building materials company James Hardie up on the offer, which did not come from the man who made the comments, and came a week after the incident.

The company's country manager Alan Bones was out of the country when contacted by the Herald today, and referred the Herald to a communications manager based in Australia.

That person has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Herald.

Griffiths, 17, works part-time at a restaurant on Auckland's Viaduct, and was serving the company's leadership team and their partners on Monday last week when one of the men started to comment on her Māori ethnicity and pronunciation.

"He said things like, 'Where are your whānau? I bet they don't eat here often, they are at home eating boil-up'.

"I said, 'Actually they eat here quite a lot', but they just laughed even more."

Mia Griffiths and her whānau are yet to decide whether to take building materials company James Hardie up on the offer. Photo / Supplied

Mia, who is saving to study medicine next year, said it left her "absolutely shocked".

"I was kind of speechless, I didn't know what to do or say."

The worst thing was nobody at the table stood up to the man, believed to be the partner of a senior staff member, with many of them laughing and even joining in the comments, she said.

"They were almost egging him on. Even if I said something, they were just laughing so hard."

Mia's mother Kiri Turketo said the company last night invited them to meet the man responsible, but they were deciding as a whānau whether to take up the company's offer.

Hospitality workers' rights advocate Chloe Ann-King said she was sadly "not shocked" when she heard Mia's story.

"I have worked in hospitality 15 years and I am not shocked. Racism is structural in hospitality, from hiring, to people making comments like that.

"It is as common as sexism, and so being a young, Māori woman, Mia is getting it double."

One of the owners of the restaurant where Mia worked told the Herald they had banned the customers involved, and fully supported Mia.

"We are a really multicultural workplace and fully support Mia, that she has a voice on this, and want to do all we can to stand up to everyday racism."

Ann-King, an organiser with campaign group Raise The Bar, said she wished all restaurant owners had the same attitude.

"I think Mia is really courageous for speaking out.

"I would love to see more employers back their staff when they speak out on these issues of racism and sexism at work.

"Workers need to know they won't be fired if they speak out."

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon said he encouraged Mia to lay a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.

"It is very important when people are abused they should not feel alone and must speak out and report it. Systemic and structural racism is not on.

"We stand with Mia and her family, and encourage her to be strong and give nothing to racism."