Puha and Pakeha just a song

A complaint that a 1960s song about Maori eating Pakeha aired on the Coast radio station was racist and offensive has not been upheld by the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

D.M. Montgomery of Auckland complained that Puha and Pakeha, by Rod Derrett, was culturally insensitive to Pakeha and a song about eating Maori would not be played without a complaint to the Race Relations Conciliator.

In response, station owners The Radio Network suggested Ms Montgomery "lighten up a bit".

The "absolutely harmless" song was "humorous nonsense", but the station acknowledged it was "a bit un-PC".

The authority did not accept the song could be interpreted as encouraging the denigration of Pakeha.

Puha and Pakeha was clearly humorous, it ruled.

- NZPA