Harawira Scandal: So where’s the Race Relations Commissioner, eh? - 6/11/2009

Also: Another murdered child to add to NZ’s register of shame

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws today said that the inactions of Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres over the racist and inflammatory remarks of Maori Party MPs Pita Sharples and Hone Harawira “mark him as manifestly unsuitable to continue in his role”.

Mayor Laws also said that the murder of two year old Karl Check jnr, formally confirmed by Wanganui Police this morning, “is another sad face to add to this country’s register of shame. That there has been no arrest yet speaks volumes as to the true co-operation that the little boy’s whanau are actually giving to the Police”.

“Joris de Bres can give certificates to rude kids who want to override democracy, but he is silent in the face of the overt racism of MPs Harawira and Sharples. And mute now that another child of our underclass has been murdered.

“In fact, the de Bres’ of this world have become apologists for this appalling behaviour.”

Mayor Laws said that Wanganui was “saddened but not shocked by Karl junior’s killing”.

“This is a provincial city. People talk. Karl’s wounds were well known despite the Police saying that they were unsure. This was always murder. The 20th child to be killed since the passage of the anti-smacking legislation.

“And with the remarks of Hone Harawira, you can see the apologists for these excesses already lining up.”