People like Queenstown taxi driver Ganesh Paramanathan who go public and shine the spotlight on racial abuse are courageous and do so on all our behalf.
They make our country a better place to live in by standing up to racial abuse and demanding change.
On Monday, September 22, a Queenstown woman was discharged without conviction after having been found guilty of a charge of recklessly using insulting words in court three weeks earlier.
The important thing in this case is that Ganesh’s humiliating experience was not ignored but was investigated by Police and put before the courts.
Anyone who thinks racism does not exist in New Zealand needs to know that of the thousands of complaints received by the Human Rights Commission each year: more than a third are racial discrimination complaints.
Human dignity
Human rights is based on dignity, respect and mana: treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. New Zealanders need to give all New Zealanders a fair go. Human rights begin at home.
New Zealand’s excellent human rights record is cheapened if some of us continue to face racial abuse by the very people we’re trying to get home safely.
Racism has no place in our country and that includes late night taxi rides.
I hope drivers refuse to transport drunken abusive passengers.
Dame Susan Devoy is Race Relations Commissioner of New Zealand. She referred to Police Constable Jeanette McNee (44) who was accused of having racially abused Ganesh.
The Queenstown Court found her guilty of ‘recklessly using insulting words to Ganesh, a person of Malaysian origin.
She was reported to have told him on November 3, 2013, “ F… off to India, you come here and get all the Kiwi jobs. East f…… curry and f… off to India. This is a Kiwi job.”
The Court discharged her without conviction.
Constable McNee apologised but said that she had no recollection of what happened on that night since she had consumed a mixture of alcohol and tramadol.
Superintendent Andrew Coster
Southern District Commander of Police Superintendent Andrew Coster said that the Police accepted the Court’s decision, “although such discharge was opposed through the Police prosecution service.”
“Police expects the highest standards from staff in both their personal and professional conduct and that the behaviour described in evidence during the recent court case involving Constable McNee did not align with Police organisational values or its code of conduct,” he said.
According to Superintendent Coster, police officers strive to do their best for the communities every day.
“It is appropriate that we hold to account those who do not meet the standards of behaviour expected of them by the community. Raised by this case is the issue of respect for diversity in our communities; Police is an organisation that values diversity both in our own organisation and in our communities,” he said.
Superintendent Coster said that the Police did not hesitate to thoroughly investigate the incident involving Constable McNee and put this case before the court.
“With the criminal prosecution coming to a conclusion, an employment process will now commence. The officer concerned remains on leave without pay at this time,” he said.
1. Ganesh Paramanathan
2. Constable Jeanette McNee
(Picture courtesy: The New Zealand Herald)
