Laws stands by criticism of King Tupou

Michael Laws

Wanganui mayor Michael Laws has dismissed criticism of his refusal to honour the Tongan King Tupou IV, who died in Auckland on Sunday.

Mr Laws said it was time for people to look at the facts of a country governed by an aristocratic elite who lived in a stunning luxury while their people lived in poverty.

Earlier this week Mr Laws, a former MP, called King Tupou a "brown slug" on his Radio Live show and said he would not be lowering the New Zealand flag in Wanganui to honour him.

The Wanganui Chronicle newspaper has reported that Tongans from as far away as the United States have called for a boycott of New Zealand goods following Mr Laws' comments .

But Mr Laws today said Tonga, where a privileged few own all the land, controlled all the commerce and ran the government with little or no democratic input, was different to other South Pacific nations.

"In my view, you don't honour a leader who maintained and even strengthened such inequity."

Mr Laws said that he had "a benign, tourist brochure view" of the country until he went there at the start of last year.

"I was stunned at both the poverty and the corruption. It is not Fiji or Samoa - its institutions are medieval by comparison."

Mr Laws said that a US State Department survey of Tonga, published this year, itemised "systemic human rights abuses including appalling and institutionalised royal privilege and gross sexual discrimination".

"The facts about Tonga are self-evident. They don't lie. As mayor, I cannot be a party to honouring those concepts and practices which are anathema to the New Zealand way of life."

He added that he had received many phone calls and emails in support of his stance.

However, Oliveti Niupalavu, of San Francisco, told the Wanganui Chronicle she wanted Tongans to boycott New Zealand goods for a day - including Tongan rugby players who play for New Zealand teams.

Ms Niupalavu said the large Californian Tongan community was horrified to hear their late king called a slug.

She said she respected everyone's right to free speech but thought Mr Laws crossed the line when he used the term "brown slug" with its racial overtones.

"I think all Tongans should take a day to boycott Kiwi goods to show how serious we are."

- NZPA