Bouncer who was abused by WINZ pair says 'we just get it all the time'

The video was posted by Finn MacCuhal's Irish Pub bouncer Tamehana Tai-Rakena, who was one of the targets of the racial abuse. Photo / Supplied

A bouncer who was told she was "worthless" and threatened with gang action from two WINZ workers says dealing with verbally abusive customers has become commonplace.

Bouncer Angela Condon and her co-worker Tamehana Tai-Pakena refused a man entry to Taupo bar Finn MacCuhal's Irish Pub for being too drunk at the weekend.

Mr Tai-Pakena posted a video showing the Ministry of Social Development worker and his two colleagues arguing with the bouncers on his Facebook page, where it has received about 3,000 shares.

The footage shows the man calling Mr Tai-Rakena and other staff "f***ing n*****s".

The employees have since been stood down and the ministry has begun an investigation.

Ms Condon said the WINZ employees also told the bouncers they were "worthless for being on minimum wage".

The pair knew both bouncers full names even though they did not know who the WINZ workers were at the time, she said.

"[They said] we were worthless on our minimum wage, and that I was just a fat, ugly bitch. Threatened with gangs and all sorts. They knew our names and everything.

"We're not on minimum wage here but they probably get more than a lot of people because of their job. I'm a solo mum, I'm just trying to support my son."

And it was not a one-off - bouncers deal with abusive people who were too intoxicated to be allowed inside bars on an increasingly frequent basis, Ms Condon said.

She said another bouncer told her the WINZ employees arrived at Taupo establishment Element - owned by Base Backpackers - shortly after the incident.

When they were refused entry again for being too intoxicated, the bouncer said they became abusive a second time, Ms Condon said.

A Base Backpackers employee could not confirm the incident.

"It's pretty stink. We get it all the time, you kind of get used to it, but this time it was more the finger-pointing in my face and being told we were worthless," Ms Condon said.

"They need to be less intoxicated to get in but they don't realise that so they think we're picking on them. They think we're either racist or we dislike somebody and hold grudges."

Finn MacCuhal's Irish Pub Tom Condon said the number of abusive people outside bars had increased since a 2013 law change, which more clearly put the responsibility for intoxicated patrons on bars' shoulders.

He said the bouncers had watched a group walk down the road and thought two of the people might have been too intoxicated to enter the bar.

Mr Tai-Rakena asked one of the group to walk in a straight line, but the patron refused.

The abuse then went on for about 13 minutes before Mr Tai-Rakena started filming, Mr Condon said.

"We just get it all the time," he said.

"People need to understand that the law has changed, it's not us that's changed. With intoxication it's a definition...and if we get it wrong, a bar got shut for 14 days in Tauranga. We're responsible."

The bar staff regularly debrief with the police about incidents over the weekends, he said.