Mayor's column: Meng Foon visit applauded

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon, middle, with Kāpiti Multicultural Council chairwoman Amelia Longuet and Kāpiti mayor K Gurunathan.

Weekly column by Kāpiti mayor K Gurunathan

There is something fascinatingly pleasing to see someone from one culture excel in communicating with a different culture in the language of that culture. And doing it exceedingly well.

It was a joy last Wednesday to watch Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon deliver his korero in te reo at the Raukawa Marae in Ōtaki.

Oratory, as a communication skill, is highly prized and there was no shortage of this amongst the hosts who welcomed the commissioner.

Meng Liu Foon, of Chinese descent, and five-term mayor of Gisborne, is fluent in English, Cantonese and Māori. I was accompanied by several councillors including councillors Janet Holborow, James Cootes, Angela Buswell, Martin Halliday and Sophie Handford. We were privileged to witness the skill with which the commissioner navigated across the cultural divide and the appreciation by the hosts.

He was in Kāpiti to talk about the launching of a new national project on combating racism.

His visit coincided with the recent national news about a declaration by the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) that it will no longer consider complaints about the use of te reo Māori.

BSA is the agency that upholds standards on TV and radio. In a related case the Media Council, which adjudicates complaints on the content of newspapers, magazines and their relevant websites, refused to hear a complaint about media outlet Stuff's use of the words "Kia Ora Aotearoa".

A reader had filed a complaint with the Media Council claiming Stuff's greeting in Māori heading the page was deeply offensive. She argued the greeting should have been put first in English because it was the language of the majority.

The Media Council responded that te reo Māori was one of New Zealand's official languages and the greeting was widely used across the country. The BSA pointed out that the language was protected and promoted by existing law.

Elle Hunt, writing in the Guardian, noted: "Though te reo Māori is an official language of New Zealand, speaking it on air is often met with pushback and racist remarks ... In recent months, New Zealand media companies have taken steps to condemn and be accountable for racist views published on their platforms."

Stuff editor-in-chief Patrick Crewdson commented that te reo was a taonga and it was incumbent on Stuff to contribute to its revival. Māori Language Commissioner Professor Higgins said that eight out of 10 Kiwis saw te reo as something to be proud of as it was part of their identity as New Zealanders.

And then there is the blunt response of Leonie Hayden, the editor of The Spinoff: "You can complain it's woke, you can complain it's divisive. It's simply the law. There's no 'two sides' to it and I'm really pleased the BSA has made a point of letting people know that."

Commissioner Meng Foon adds to that understanding in framing the relationship.

"Tangata whenua are the people of Aotearoa. All Māori. Tangata tiriti are the people other than Māori who have made Aotearoa their home. Tangata whenua are not the general public. As Tangata whenua they have responsibilities more than the general public such as kaitiakitanga — stewardship of people and land."

The commissioner's observation has a significant influence on the local government sector as councils, faced with legislation like the Local Government Act and, especially the Resource Management Act, redefine the relationship between the Māori minority and the mainstream majority.

Pending new legislation like the RMA and Three-Waters reform will further entrench the legal powers of Māori over the land and environment. Case law through the Environment Court is at the forefront of shaping this new relationship.

Te reo Māori is a gateway to understanding this growing Māori cultural and economic power.