OPINION:
Upon arriving in New Zealand in my 20s, my positive impression was of an egalitarian society where people of all backgrounds work, study, and socialise side by side.
I soon learned these inclusive values were hard fought. Māori were once segregated at cinemas and swimming baths. Indians like me were excluded from some barber shops until the 1950s.
But for all our progress, New Zealand’s academic sector seems to be doubling down on racial division.
What is the message we send to young people when institutions like the University of Auckland establish “safe spaces” with signs saying “This is a Designated Area for Māori and Pasifika Students”?
The Tertiary Education Union has defended the signs, saying “safe spaces are inclusive not divisive”. They are telling us that to be inclusive some groups must be excluded. It sends a message that exclusion and separation are acceptable, ironically, under the guise of inclusion.
They go on, praising spaces “where people can freely express their lived experiences in a safe and supportive environment with those of a similar world view”.
I struggle to believe that Māori and Pasifika students all share the same world view. That is certainly not true for communities that I engage with.
But, regardless, it is not the job of a university to support and reinforce any group’s world views, or to shield them from others’ views. Rather, university is a place where students can escape the bubble of their upbringing and exchange ideas with people of different backgrounds. This exchange is crucial if we are serious about closing academic disparities and lifting achievement for groups previously left behind.
I also worry about the perception of international students, who commit large sums of money to experience the education system of a modern, inclusive country that has famously protested against segregation.
And I am seriously disturbed by the suggestion that to make progress in education, Māori students need to isolate from non-Māori.
What happens when a student who doesn’t appear Māori walks into a Māori study space? Even if the rules are not enforced, users of this space may feel unwelcome or pressured to justify their Māori credentials.
All of this takes us down an ugly path. It’s one thing to be proud of your heritage, but it’s another to have state-funded institutions constantly prodding you to think about your own racial background, or that of your study mates.
Act believes we are all first and foremost humans with the same inherent dignity. This value should be expressed in the provision of all public services, including study spaces at our taxpayer-funded universities.
Some have argued these “safe spaces” have been in place for decades. Fine, but it’s time to enter the 21st century.
Others have defended the separate spaces by pointing out the existence of women’s spaces. I reject the comparison. Separate spaces for women reflect inherent differences between men and women. I don’t believe races are inherently different, but this is the kind of thinking encouraged by separate spaces.
I have written to every New Zealand university and polytechnic to determine whether their vision of inclusive education involves divisive so-called “safe” spaces.
My hope is to discover that, University of Auckland aside, our places of learning share the modern view of inclusivity wherein all people are individuals first, and the mixing and exchange of world views and ideas is celebrated.
Parmjeet Parmar is the Act Party education spokeswoman and was first elected as an MP for the National Party in 2014, but switched to Act in 2020 after losing her list seat. She was elected an MP at the 2023 election.
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