Race Relations calls time on abuse of wahine Māori politicians, as new study confirms anti-Māori bias

Acting Race Relations Commissioner Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo wants to see a faster response to racist attacks.

Acting Race Relations Commissioner Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo says female politicians need protection against abuse and violence directed at them and their whānau as a new study confirms an increase of anti-Māori sentiment on social media.

Last week police trespassed an elderly National Party supporter who entered the home of Māori Party Hauraki Waikato candidate Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke uninvited.

It was one of a series of incidents at the 21-year-old wahine’s whare.

Sumeo says such incidents have a ripple effect on politicians and their whanau and require swift action from police.

“I think that needs to be taken up by Parliament to discuss how we can do it sooner. [It is just not ] physical violence, it’s also through social media, things that people say on social media, and those are permanent records. So I think we need to stand firmer and have much clearer laws,” she told Waatea.News.Com.

Sumeo said more support is needed to protect female MPs.

Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, aged 20, is at number four on the Te Pāti Māori list. Photo / Erica Sinclair

Her call comes days after a new study has found an increase in anti-Māori sentiment on social media, with the main target being high-profile wāhine Māori.

The study, revealed on One News, was conducted by The Disinformation Project and investigated the spread of disinformation against Māori on co-governance and Te Tiriti justice, driven through social networks.

Project director Kate Hannah said it’s an agenda being led by the same networks that protested vaccine mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Disinformation Project Lead and University of Auckland research fellow Kate Hannah.

“The people who, three years ago, were talking about sunlight as a cure, or vitamin C, are now talking about co-governance and using increasingly racist, false and misleading information to do so,” Hannah told 1News.

The study also found an increasingly hostile environment towards the idea of co-governance strategies, with mentions of a potential “civil war” over such issues.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said it’s no surprise, given the number of times she’s been targeted herself.

“It doesn’t surprise me because I am a Māori woman who has absolutely been targeted or held to a whole different level of judgment,” Davidson said.

Karen Chhour also sees racism - but from another angle.

But Act party candidate Karen Chhour said she’s been targeted for not being Māori enough.

“The racism that I get is not necessarily anti-Māori it’s more ‘you’re not a good enough Māori’. So it’s a bit different the attacks that I’m getting, but I do see that on multiple angles.”

Source: Waatea.News.Com/One News