#Dame #Susan #Devoy #Scolds #Racism #Garner

f Garner had focused solely on the failure of our policy planners to prepare for population growth, as he did in the second part of his piece, he could have. And he should have, because there are real deficiencies we need to address. But he didn’t.

If he’s surprised that people are angry he shouldn’t be, because his words are hurtful, they’re inflammatory and they matter.

Earlier this year US President Donald Trump recited the lyrics of a song The Snake and likened poisonous, treacherous snakes to immigrants.

We do not want to borrow any of that particular person’s race relations strategies here because I truly believe that New Zealanders are better than that.

Whether Duncan’s community is a multicultural one or not isn’t the issue: it’s his words that are the issue.

We live in one of the most ethnically diverse nations on earth. We also live in one of the most peaceful nations on earth.

This is something all of us must protect, this is the future New Zealand that we need to secure now.