Ethnic MPs condemn race-based criticism of their political work

Lawmakers representing New Zealand's ethnic communities have condemned critics for focusing on their ethnicity when disagreeing with policies they are proposing.

The remarks follow the torrent of abuse on social media that ACT lawmaker Parmjeet Parmar received after she drafted a member's bill to prevent universities from allocating resources based on race.

The social media furor that erupted late March/early April mirrors other occasions in recent years in which ethnic MPs on both sides of the aisle have been targeted online, in public life or in Parliament.

"When people attack someone's background instead of engaging with their ideas, it reveals more about the critic than the target," said Parmar, who immigrated from India to New Zealand in 1995.

"I've been on the receiving end of plenty of personal insults, including racist ones. I don't dwell on it, but I do notice that it's often the same people who preach kindness and inclusion who are the quickest to judge me based on where I'm from," she said.

"New Zealand should be a country where we can debate ideas on their merits, without resorting to identity-based attacks," she said.

"The good news is the vast majority of Kiwis understand that and engage in good faith."

Green Party lawmaker Ricardo Menéndez March has been targeted because of his ethnicity in political debates in the House.

"Migrant communities deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and when political leaders diminish the contributions of immigrants we see the impacts outside the four walls of Parliament," said Menéndez March, who grew up in Mexico.

"When migrants are attacked in Parliament, it emboldens people who already seek to harm our communities and can result in people being harmed."

Fellow Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan agreed.

"When we allow politicians to get away with racist rhetoric, it puts our communities at risk of hate crime and violence," said Xu-Nan, who is of Chinese heritage.

Green MP Francisco Hernandez argued that Filipino New Zealanders were real New Zealanders.

"Insinuations to the contrary are just a cheap, nasty distraction from this government's real failures to deliver for people and planet," said Hernandez, who was born in Manila, Philippines.

"Aotearoa deserves a government that will invest in public good over private interests, not desperate politicians trying to paper over the damage their slash and burn cuts with imported culture war rhetoric."

National Party list MP Nancy Lu called for public debate to be robust but focused on improving the lives of all New Zealanders.

"As a country, we benefit from better communication, understanding and partnership between people of different ethnic and religious backgrounds," said Lu, who is of Chinese descent.

National's MP for Takanini, Rima Nakhle, echoed the same sentiment.

"I think it's really important that we can have open and honest debates, but the focus should be on the ideas and how we can actually make life better for everyone," said Nakhle, who is of Lebanese heritage.

"We're a stronger country when people from all backgrounds - different cultures, ethnicities and religions - can work together and understand each other."

Labour Party MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan said ethnic lawmakers had the same rights as other MPs to do their jobs.

"I don't condone derogatory remarks that focus on any aspect of our identity, including immigration status. Instead, the commentary should be about what we do or do not advocate for and the work we do," Radhakrishnan, who is of Indian origin.

"We need Parliament and other decision-making spaces to reflect the communities they serve. We also need to create a society where everyone can feel a sense of belonging," the former minister of ethnic communities said.

"When these discriminatory attacks do happen, it's important that we call them out for what they are, educate people on the harms of such attacks, and recognise that it 'others' groups of people, which leads to a more fractured society."

Labour ethnic affairs spokesperson Jenny Salesa said a migrant background did bring some "unwanted attention" in politics.

"I, and certainly many of my parliamentary colleagues across the aisle, have been on the receiving end of some abhorrent, discriminatory remarks," said New Zealand's first Tongan-born MP.

"It shouldn't matter where you've come from or what your background is as an MP," she said.

"Regardless of the politics, all of us come to Parliament because we love New Zealand," she said.

"We all deserve to be treated respectfully whether you agree with us or not - we're still people at the end of the day."

New Zealand First ethnic affairs spokesperson Casey Costello has been contacted for comment.