June 29, 2016
Brexit stirs racism fears
Greens co-leader Metiria Turei is warning Maori not to get caught up in any post-Brexit anti-immigrant sentiment.
Immigration featured heavily in the referendum for Britain to leave the European Union, and open hostility towards migrants and people of colour has spiked since last week’s vote.
Ms Turei says the Leave campaign used racism as a way to tap in to deep seated concerns about austerity and inequality.
She expects parts of New Zealand’s political spectrum will push similar fears rather than address poor economic performance and failure to invest in housing, jobs and health.
"The reason we have a housing problem and a job problem and poor education particularly for Maori, has got nothing to do with immigration. It's got everything to do with governments over time who will not invest in our people, who will not support our people, that's the target. It's not ordinary other people who are coming here to live a decent life too," says Metiria Turei.
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