White-power campaign 'pathetic'

The Government is urging ethnic communities to ignore a poster campaign calling for Australian-style race riots in Wellington.

"These posters are pathetic and their hateful message has been treated with contempt by most New Zealanders," Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter said.

The posters, discovered at Wellington railway stations, called for people to show "white power" and "take back our land".

"If Sydney can do it, so can we," the posters said.

In Sydney, a 5000-strong, alcohol-fuelled mob, some waving flags and chanting racist slogans, chased and beat people of Middle Eastern appearance at Cronulla beach on Sunday.

Rioting continued during the week.

Mr Carter said the posters were the work of a tiny, isolated minority and the police were keeping a close eye on white supremacist groups.

Given the high profile of the Australian riots it was "probable" there would be more "adolescent stunts" like the posters in the next few weeks.

National Party leader Don Brash condemned the posters as "anti-Kiwi" and the group behind them as a small fascist underbelly.

"There is no place in New Zealand for these kinds of threatening, inflammatory actions."

He described the group behind the posters - White Crusaders for Racial Holy War - as a small fascist underbelly, hell-bent on causing division and destroying New Zealand's egalitarian ethos.

- NZPA