The Union Network of Migrants (UNEMIG) is calling on
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to sack Winston Peters as
Foreign Minister after his racist “go back to your own
country” attack on Green MP Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan in Parliament
this week, and to confront the wider pattern inside
coalition partner New Zealand First that produced
it.
Peters made the comment in the House on Wednesday,
also telling Xu-Nan to “go back to where you’ve come from”
and accusing China of lying “like a flatfish.” NZ First
Deputy Leader Shane Jones backed him immediately, saying
Xu-Nan “should know his place,” on top of Jones’ earlier
description of Indian migration as a “butter chicken
tsunami” and his call to “put them on the first plane and
send them home.” China’s embassy has lodged a formal
complaint with MFAT. Labour, the Greens and National’s own
campaign spokesperson have all called the remarks racist or
called for Peters to go. Prime Minister Luxon has so far
called it “attention-seeking” and attempted to move
on.
“For migrant communities, those words are not
political banter. They are racist, harmful and deeply
hurtful,” said Mikee Santos, UNEMIG coordinator.
“‘Go
back to your own country’ is one of the oldest racist
insults there is, and it tells you that no matter how long
you’ve lived here or what you’ve contributed, you’ll still
be treated as an outsider.”
“Belonging in Aotearoa
doesn’t come with an expiry date or a birthplace test, or a
requirement to agree with those in power. Mr Xu-Nan has
lived here for three decades and makes a valuable
contribution to our Parliament and our politics.”
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Mr
Santos said the comments come from a political party that is
increasingly visible as “the racist party”.
“This
isn’t two ministers losing their tempers days apart, it’s
New Zealand First’s playbook, and it’s rotten to the core.
When language like this comes from the floor of our own
Parliament, it gives cover for the same language in
workplaces, schools and on the street,” said Mr
Santos.
“New Zealand relies on migrant labour to run
its hospitals, its building sites and its orchards, then has
its Foreign Minister tell migrants to go home the moment
they speak up.”
“Frankly, it’s very worrying that a
petulant man with no impulse control and declining instincts
is the same man negotiating trade behind closed doors with
the countries he’s just insulted. That should worry every
New Zealander, not only migrant communities.”
“There’s
a real irony here too. China’s ambassador has felt the need
to comment on how a New Zealand MP was treated by our own
Foreign Minister. It’s a terrible look on the world
stage.”
“Silence is complicity. If Chris Luxon lets
this slide, he must wear it too. New Zealanders didn’t ask
for imported Trump-era politics and we don’t want it
here.”
“Aotearoa is already a great country. It
doesn’t need migrant communities frightened and divided by
textbook racism to remain that way.”
UNEMIG calls on
the Prime Minister to sack Winston Peters as Foreign
Minister, rule out going into coalition with a racist
political party, and reaffirm its support and appreciation
for what migrant workers bring to Aotearoa New
Zealand.
Background information
UNEMIG is a
migrant led, non-profit and non-sectarian organisation of
migrant workers across the union movement which aims to
protect the rights and welfare of migrant workers in New
Zealand.
