On Monday morning TV 0ne Breakfast Show, the host Paul Henry in an interview with our Prime Minster insulted our governor General saying 'Is he really a New Zealander?'
For the record Sir Anand Satyanand is New Zealand born of Fijian Indian extraction .
He attended Richmond Rd school in then working class Grey Lynn, Auckland.
As governor general he has proved to be most competent and in touch with our people. I have heard him speak at a number of functions in this role. He is a warm,generous man. Sadly our Prime Minster John Key and his employer TV one both took 24 hours before they defended the governor. This is not what we expect from our leaders. They have all fallen below our national standard.
Below is a letter published today Thursday 6 October in the New Zealand in an abbreviated form.
I am first and foremost a Republican and a Democrat and my comments are not to taken as an endorsement of the British Monarchy.
The suspension of broadcaster Paul Henry is a first step. State and private broadcasters have responsibilities to our nation.
Henry is not the first broadcaster to make inflammatory statements that have the potential to simultaneously damage race relations in New Zealand and our international reputation as a country that works hard to improve on what are generally very good relations between the peoples who make up our nation.
When broadcasters like Henry, Paul Holmes [remember the Cheeky Darkies?], MP Hone Harawira make such statements, it says much about our nation. These gentlemen are not ignorant. They are intelligent , informed , educated and streetwise so are fully aware of what they say.
Their bosses are correct in reining them in, but more needs to happen. The code of practice of the networks needs to be tougher. They should have public polices of their commitment to race relations and respect for our citizens regardless of race , creed or sexual orientation . Media has a role to assist in taking our nation forward.
Henry has been allowed to let us down . His employer is also culpable.
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