Rising intolerance casts shadow over our political landscape – Editorial

A group of political leaders faced personal threats over the weekend. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Editorial

THREE KEY FACTS

• Extra security measures are being implemented for Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown after online threats.
• The Green Party says MP Benjamin Doyle has faced death threats over his social media account.
• AUT law school dean Khylee Quince made a comment targeting an MP’s immigration background.

It was a weekend of intolerance in New Zealand.

Sadly, these are far too frequent and personal in this age where social media algorithms make us more agitated and adherent of our political leanings.

As reported in the Herald, we learned extra security is now needed outside the apartment of Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown and new CCTV cameras will be installed after threatening social media comments against him.

Brown has been targeted by some people over the past week following the official final speedway race at Western Springs and a video that Brown posted on social media explaining an Auckland Council decision to spend $11 million to redevelop Waikaraka Park to accommodate speedway.

One user on Facebook said: “How’s the family, Wayne.”

Brown made light of the situation and said: “I don’t think they’re interested in how my family is.”

Other posts were more direct.

Brown said the level of personal threats was something he had not encountered in his years of public service.

The Green Party yesterday also said MP Benjamin Doyle has been subjected to “immense” death threats and abuse over one of the MP’s social media accounts.

Doyle is the Green Party spokesperson for Takatāpui and Rainbow Communities, ACC, Internal Affairs, Associate Health (Sexual & Reproductive Health) and Associate Education (Māori and ECE).

Some may have found Doyle’s content on their account absurd and even offensive but that is no excuse for threats of violence to them or their family.

Meanwhile, Khylee Quince, who is the law school dean at the Auckland University of Technology, made a crass comment on social media targeting the immigration background of Act tertiary education spokeswoman Dr Parmjeet Parmar in response to her member’s bill.

“Immigrant forgets where she lives,” Quince wrote.

It is likely that Quince argues Parmar’s bill itself is intolerant as it proposes to prevent universities from allocating resources, benefits or opportunities based on race.

Matching intolerance with intolerance, however, is hardly befitting of the position Quince occupies.

A University of Otago last year study highlighted the problem.

It found 98% of 54 MPs surveyed reported experiencing harassment, 40% said they were threatened with physical violence, 14% with sexual violence and 19% told the researchers threats were made against family members.

The number of threats recorded by police against politicians has, however, fallen since the coalition Government took office.

We must be able to articulate criticisms, hold differing positions and political beliefs without spilling into threats of violence.

If we can’t, then expect more ugly weekends like this one.

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