The country has a responsibility to take ownership of the racism and taunts that minorities such as Muslims experience, Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says.
Lianne Dalziel at Al Noor Mosque. Photo: RNZ/ Eden Fusitu’a
The Royal Commission into the Christchurch terror attacks released its findings yesterday.
The prime minister and government agencies have apologised for the failings identified in the report and say change is on its way.
But victims say the country still has much work to do to fight the racism and prejudice that lay behind the attacks.
Dalziel told Morning Report the Royal Commission devoted an entire chapter to social cohesion and embracing diversity in response to some of the testimony of the victims.
"This experience of discrimination, of racism, of taunts in the street - these are very real impacts on people, and the kinds of polarisation ... around extreme views on politics, on a whole range of issues, this polarisation. It really does act as an enabler for people to think that it's OK to treat people like that and it's not OK."
She agreed with the Royal Commission that the response to this behaviour did not solely belong to the government, city councils or communities such as Muslims.
"It actually belongs to all of us; something that we all have to own and own up to and address."
Dalziel said the report was a significant milestone in a long journey for all those most directly affected, as well as the city.
"I found the report very hard reading... I've committed a lot of time trying to understand the key features that we need to look at through a city lens.
"I think a number of the recommendations have been the subject of focus, quite rightly so, from the government lens but there's a city lens that needs to be put over this also and not just for Ōtautahi / Christchurch but cities across the country."
Need for mature discussion on national security
The new Minister in charge of the government's response to the Royal Commission, Andrew Little, said the country needs to have a more mature discussion about national security.
The report has found that security agencies have not been open enough, or engaged with the public, about the threat of terrorism.
Little said the country does face threats and the government needed to be able to deal with those.
Andrew Little. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Agencies haven't talked enough about terrorism or other national intelligence issues, sometimes because they didn't want to "target or stigmatise" particular communities.
"We simply haven't found it within ourselves or found that opportunity to have that debate."
He said all the debate over the last 10 to 20 years has centred on mass surveillance which is "a myth".
"We don't want mass surveillance; we don't need mass surveillance. What we do need is a more mature discussion about how we all participate in the role of counter-terrorism, counter-espionage, all those sorts of things that threaten our freedoms."
He said he has also been concerned for some time that the lead strategic direction for the country's total security and intelligence function has always been "somewhat opaque".
A new agency is needed to be "the apex of the system" and it will be the focal point of responsibility and accountability.
"The system has been in place for a long time and that needs to change... I'm determined that we will follow through on that."
Firearm licensing shortfall addressed
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said significant steps have been made to tighten the process of firearm licensing since the Christchurch mosque shootings.
Police have apologised for failings identified in the Royal Commission findings that created the environment in which this country's worst mass killing was allowed to happen.
Coster told Morning Report that since the shootings the police had worked on the level of guidance around firearm licensing.
He said the forms used to have open ended questions but now have very specific questions to determine the nature of the relationship between the applicant and their referees.
"That guidance was not there before."
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster. Photo: Pool / NZME
The systems, policies and training were not at a level they should have been, however, firearms legislation was also lax and police are better placed now that there is new legislation, Coster said.
A new gun register is on the horizon, however, some decisions still have to be made but urgency will be balanced with getting it right.
"There have been failed implementation of these things overseas and it has to be effective and workable to be useful."
Three years have been allowed but the police wanted to do it faster, he said.
