Woodville Wire editor apologises over racist remarks against Māori

Annette Nepe. Photo / Facebook

A Māori wāhine who took the editor of a local newsletter to the Human Rights Review Tribunal has settled her racial harassment case by mediation.

Annette Nepe and former Woodville Wire editor Jane Hill were at loggerheads over an email exchange in October 2021. Nepe sent an article to the Woodville Wire about her petition urging InterCity to reinstate its Woodville bus stop.

She asked that her article’s opening salutation — “Kia ora nau mai, ngā mihi nui koutou katoa” — remain in any edited version of her article to reflect her culture. Nepe clarified that “Nau mai koutou katoa ngā mihi nui” means “Welcome everyone, big friendly greeting to all”.

But Hill refused and replied by email: “Firstly, it would have been respectful to ASK to put this into the Woodville Wire, instead of demanding it be put in.

“Secondly, this is not a Māori newsletter; it is a community newsletter and everyone in this community speaks English. I, as well as many New Zealanders am not in favour of giving one cultural group special privilege regarding their language simply because they (falsely) claim first nation status.

“Thirdly, why should we elevate the Māori language for you, when you clearly show no respect for the English language. It is extremely poor.

“I will write an article about the public transport system and encourage people to sign the petition as have I.”

This week the Office of Human Rights Proceedings issued a media release.

Office of the Human Rights Proceedings. Photo / Supplied

“Annette Nepe and former editor of the Woodville Wire newsletter, Jane Hill, have settled their racial harassment case.”

Nepe said she took the action to protect the mana and dignity of her whakapapa.

“It is been with the love of my family the supportive words of my parents siblings and the teachings of growing up motherhood grandparenthood that I did this to protect the Mana dignity of my family whānau, whānui, my ancestors, Mātua tupuna, my heritage, history, whakapapa pepeha never disrespecting any human being History Genealogy,” Nepe posted to Facebook this morning.

At mediation, Hill apologised for the hurt her email caused.

“I acknowledge that my choice of words was perceived as aggressive and unnecessary. It was not my intention to attack or minimise Ms Nepe’s culture,” the apology said.

“Now that I can see the effects of the experience on Ms Nepe, I am willing and committed to changing the way I engage with Māori in my community.

Nepe said she was happy with the apology and wants to move on.

“This is good for both of us; I’m happy that we talked. This is a good outcome and a step towards repairing and growing relationships in the Woodville community. We both agree racism has no place in Aotearoa New Zealand, and we’re on the road to eliminating it,” she said.