The Herald reports:
Racism is a “basic, underlying” reason for poor health suffered by Māori and Pacific New Zealanders, a major DHB has concluded.
But there is also racism against Asian New Zealanders? Why don’t they have the same poor health statistics as Maori and Pacific NZers?
Once again any element of individual responsibility is missing from the story. One can accept there is some implicit bias in the health system, but that is far from concluding it is the major reason for poor health outcomes for some groups.
We see the same in debates about prison populations. The high proportion of Maori in prison is put down mainly to racism, rather than the fact a higher proportion of Maori commit serious crimes. Again there is some racism in the justice system, but you can’t ignore individuals also make choices.
Men are even more over-represented in prison than Maori. Do we put this down to sexism? Or do we put this down to more men commit serious crimes?
Now before the woke call me various names, let me quote their beloved Deputy Prime Minister:
Peters said: “As somebody who spent his whole life in the Māori world, in that context of growing up in a Māori settlement way up north, let me say that we’re hearing a lot of language from certain radical Māori, in my view, that somewhat suggests that the very culture or family that spawned this child in the first place, that has seen this child brutalised and damaged, is the place where we can safely repose that child, and we want the healing process to start.
“Now, how on earth does that work?
“The reality is you’ve got a lot of people in the social welfare system, or in Oranga Tamariki, who are genuine, who go to work every day hoping to do the best they possibly can. And they’re all being dumped into some sort of criticism of being hopeless, culturally insensitive, and don’t care. It ain’t true,” Peters said.
“Let’s not have this view that somehow it’s all the white man’s fault, and if it were not for that Māori would be, in terms of looking after their children and their people and their women, in particular, perfect. Let’s have some frank candour here,” he said.
“With all its failings I’m so glad the English got here and settled this country, rather than some other cultures, because, with all its failings, it is so much better than all the rest of the world.”
Nicely said Winston.
