NZ needs to call time on old boys clubs and racism

Tuesday, 20 August 2019

A member of the male-only Nelson Club has come under fire for his racist views.

It's time for exclusive old boys' clubs and racism to go, the Māori Council says.

Māori Council executive director Matthew Tukaki wants Kiwis to address racism after an incident where a member of a male-only Nelson Club said Muslims were rapists, and that 'blacks have a lower IQ than whites'.

Following a meeting to address the comments, the member kept his membership and the club passed a rule banning members from speaking to those outside the club about the organisation.

Tukaki said it was time to call out racism.

**READ MORE:

* [Nelson Club member who made racist comments keeps his membership

There is no room for racism in New Zealand, said Matthew Tukaki, the New Zealand Māori Council executive director.

*](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/115101344/nelson-club-member-who-made-racist-comments-keeps-his-membership) Male only Nelson Club to consider future of 'racist' member**

'These old, exclusive little men's clubs need to go. A message should be sent that New Zealanders will not put up with this.'

Racism behind closed doors could have a strong impact, he added.

'I am sick and tired of every day seeing more of these people emerge. This is how Christchurch happened: a white male emboldened by hate and influenced by the words of others.

'It is not freedom of speech; no one should have the right to pour hate on people of colour.'

The member of the Nelson club claimed homosexuals have a 'sickness' and that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is a communist and, if she were re-elected, he would potentially move back to the United Kingdom.

'When you read through the content of the emails and what has unfolded you find a guy who was a member of a far right UK party who held some petty abhorrent views.

Tukaki said the club's lawyer also argued that people of colour had a lower IQ compared to whites.

'You have others lamenting about how things would be better with white people leading countries and so on. It's pretty disgusting stuff and more to the point it has no place in today's New Zealand.'

In the UK, the member was a member of the far-right British National Party.

Tukaki said the character test for new residents should include an assessment of social media profiles to identify these views.

'We don't want people like that here,' he said. 'We need to stop these people from landing in New Zealand and plying their hate trade here.'

Tukaki asked for the new Race Relations Conciliator to convene an inquiry and national conversation into racism in New Zealand.

'We need to see all the dirty washing on the table.'