Summarised by Centrist
Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris has rejected calls to apologise for two social media posts that his own party labelled “racist,” insisting he stands by his remarks.
The first post said it was “mind blowing” to see “Indians, Asians, Black and Pākehā” supporting Labour’s Peeni Henare. Ferris argued those volunteers were “campaigning to take a Māori seat from Māori.”
In his later video, he argued that attempts to treat Māori as “just another one of those ethnic groups” in blanket equality was to “homogenise” Māori, according to Ferris.
“In the Māori seats, it’s about the Māori people, Māori only,” and added: “Māori have unique rights as opposed to everyone else,” he claimed.
Ferris, who represents Te Tai Tonga, told media he had “nothing to apologise for” despite co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer previously issuing an apology on his behalf.
He said he only agreed to delete the original post to avoid harming Oriini Kaipara’s by-election campaign.
Asked why he left the second video online, Ferris replied: “Well, they haven’t said anything to me.” He denied attacking multicultural New Zealand, instead accusing Labour of using non-Māori campaigners to “diminish Māori rights.”
Labour’s Willie Jackson said there was “no doubt” the comments were racist, “Guess what, Willie. I don’t give a crap who you care about or what you care about,” Ferris said.
Green co-leader Marama Davidson confirmed Ngarewa-Packer had contacted her to stress the remarks did not represent the party’s view. Ferris, however, said Te Pāti Māori MPs had equal mana to their co-leaders and could make their own calls.
Ferris also brushed aside questions about posting at midnight and his appearance in the video, which NZ First MP Shane Jones described as “some sort of lost soul on the side of the street.”
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders have made themselves unavailable for interviews.
Image: Facebook
