Migrant Tales – “NZ A More Dangerous, More Violent Place”

Continuing in our series of Migrant Stories: first hand accounts of migrant life in New Zealand, taken from locations around the net.

This tale is taken from an expat forum. The poster, a Brit who lives in Palmerston North comments on the latest released crime statistics and ponders the grim future ahead in New Zealand:

“The words of our police minister today. NZ really does appear to be going down the gurgler. It all bad news just now for NZ. They blame P (methamphetamine) and the dole/bludging way of life for too many.
There have been a spate of ugly attacks in Palmy of late.
Murders are going thru the roof.
The only difference betwixt NZ and the UK is looking like just the lower population of NZ. The latter is a huge pull for me as I hate crowds and endless jams on the road. They reckon its going to get worse. Another caveat before you chose to come. Canada or Oz are looking like more favourable alernatives aye? Or are they too going to shite??”

In another post he asked is “NZ a failed nation?” after the release of the NZ Institute’s report card on the state of the country:

“The NZ Institute says today that NZ is failing as a nation. There are some horendous stats coming out of their report (google it). I would seriously consider not coming to NZ just now if I was starting out the process I did just under six years ago. I would look at Oz or Canada. I love NZ and have our roots too well set to consider a move at present..who knows Oz may well beckon in the coming years as we will soon be citizens of NZ.
I have no axe to grind. Inspite of the fiscal problems NZ’s crap fiscal regulators have wrought upon us we have a superb quality of life here, [my wife] has a glowing career in senior palliative care and our kids are incredibly happy. Thus we are content here and we want for nothing, but I am soooo glad my kids can go to Oz if need be or can return to europe some day for a brighter future.
I really think NZ is looking at a downward trend now in terms of the quality of life here. I think the kiwi $$ will steadily lose value over the coming months as NZ will be seen to be a risky place to invest..a bit like a rudderless boat. All we need is a dairy disaster and NZ will be all washed up. Think about your options aye?
I am not being dark or wishing to start a flare thread…just telling you what I hear on the news. The rest is up to you.”

The NZ Institute’s report “NZ Ahead – A report card of New Zealand’s social, economic and environmental wellbeing. Measuring New Zealand’s performance so we can improve it.” may be found here


In the news today, a snapshot of crime and disorder in New Zealand:
NZ crime rate rises : "Violence and drug-related offences are largely responsible for increased crime rates, according to 2009 crime statistics released by police today"

"Police Minister Judith Collins said the figures showed the scale of the problem New Zealand faced. "In the 18 months that I have been police minister I have been shocked at the level of violent and anti-social behaviour in our society," Ms Collins said."

• Beach Haven mother says acts of random violence are ruling the streets of her community

• Booze fuels a massive leap in crime and family violence : "A massive rise in family violence and more drunken teenage girls fighting in the street are features of shocking crime statistics for Hamilton and Waikato released today."

• Music teacher guilty of indecent assault whilst teaching girl guitar in Nelson

• Skinhead owns up to killing backpacker

• Family stunned alleged drunk driver in crash bailed twice :  justice system has given family a "kick in the guts"

• Rapist avoids return to jail after parole breach

Today's posts - click here

Huntly Is A "Dead Beat Town," Crime "Rampant"

 After we wrote our post last week about the rise in violent crimes and robberies in Huntly, a fairly typical Kiwi town in the Waikato, the Waikato Times has today put together an article which reveals that crime is ruining local shops.

Some shops have been burgled close to 40 times in the last few years and the cost of crime is now so high that some insurance companies have said they can no longer afford to insure businesses there.

Retailers have been quite blunt in saying what they think of the town, calling it "dead beat" and saying every shop has been touched by "rampant" crime.

And what's causing this crime epidemic - the breakdown of social adhesion, unemployment, lack of facilities, boredom, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, lax/absent policing? No, according to Huntly Community Board chairman Frank McInally it's the victims' fault for not paying $1,000 each to install security cameras. He said:

"retailers were "their own worst enemies..."They won't put their hand in their own pockets to contribute towards the cameras."

Does he honestly believe that cameras will reduce crime in the town? Cameras in banks, gas stations and dairies throughout New Zealand haven't deterred armed thieves one iota. Big Brother is obviously sleeping on the job, or out to lunch.

Some businesses do see some merit in having the cameras though, even though they don't seem to work:

 "The Essex Arms manager Gale Mackay supported security cameras, but said it wouldn't stop offending completely.

The tavern was broken into twice recently despite their premises being equipped with cameras and an alarm.

What is the solution to Huntly's crime? "

 The solution for Huntly will be the same as for the rest of New Zealand.

And, if you're wondering what Huntley looks like take a look at this YouTube video:

 

The day this post was published the town of Nelson was hit by a crime spree. Vandals ran rampant down Main Street smashing shop windows, causing thousands of dollars of damage, some of which was uninsured.  It's very similar to a 4am rampage by a gang of teens in Hastings in January.

In that attack 11 businesses were targeted and the damage is thought to have run in to thousands of dollars. Police arrested four youths, including two 15 year old girls,  a boy of 15 and another age 14. Does Hastings have security cameras?

Police say they are going to look at security camera footage of the Nelson event, which isn't much consolation for the shop owners who are left to foot the bill for the damage, nor does it stop the same thing happening again. This is an excellent example of how security cameras do not protect communities.

 Update 19 March
A day later a home crime fighter in Huntly's neighbouring city of Hamilton was praised by city councillor, Dave Macpherson, for defending himself during a home invasion. Mr Macpherson said that communities were taking the law into their own hands because of police inaction. Police advised victims of crime to take the details of offenders and let them respond. On his blog Mr Macpherson said in an "ideal world" that would be fine.

"But lack of police resources, and an all-too-frequent disorganised police response, often force the community to take the law into it's own hands.

"If you can't rely on the police to stop criminals, then many Kiwis will rightly choose to take on the crims rather than letting them get away with the proceeds of their crimes."

Today's posts - click here

Migrant Stories - "The Health Care System Is Second Rate" - Updated: "Horrific Workloads"

11 February 2010
Continuing in our series of Migrant Stories: first hand accounts of migrant life in New Zealand, taken from locations around the net.

This story was written by a nurse with over 30 years of experience. In it she tells of prejudice and how difficult it was to find a job. She also talks about how thousands and thousands of health care dollars are being wasted because there is no incentive to change and of how people wait so long for some tests and treatments that permanent damage is done to their health. She is minded to stay and work through this but her Kiwi partner is starting to look toward Australia to make some money.

"As a nurse in the US with over 3 decades of experience, I can tell you I had one helluva time trying to get registered to work as a nurse in this country. I have found there is prejudice here - even if you are skilled and willing to work, not coming here looking for a handout - just a JOB. (I lost track of the number of applications I filled out - to do ANYTHING - before I literally got lucky and got a job at a DHB hospital as a Health Care Assistant, which was a major stepping stone to getting the registration.)

My partner, a kiwi, was just as surprised (and disappointed) at the difficulty I had. I make a good living here, and it's because I do work hard. And, to be honest, I'm going through some not unexpected issues where I work - but in talking with other foreign (and young, less experienced) nurses, it seems to be the norm. So I am just biting my tongue and getting through it; I know enough to recognize it and I can deal with it. Some of it is because it's New Zealand, some of it is because it's nurses.

Another negative here - they are resistant to change moreso than anywhere I've ever seen. I worked in the health insurance industry for 10 years before I came here, and one of the things I looked for were areas where money was wasted. Here, I can see thousands and thousands of health care dollars wasted because there is no incentive to change things. And they do some things here the same way we did them in US hospitals when I was a student nurse. And since residents here see health care as "free", they really don't care. And they don't realize the health care system is second rate. Yep, I said it and I really believe it. I see things every day that scare the hell out of me. People have to wait days for some tests and treatments that would be done in a matter of hours in the US. By then, permanent damage has been done. But, oh well, that's just the way it is.

The saddest thing is, I believe New Zealand, because it IS a small country, has the potential to be a world leader in health care. Too bad it will never happen, because nothing will change unless there is a catastrophe that makes it absolutely necessary and without option.

My life here is simpler, and I do delight in the small things - like seeing the covey of quail cross the road when I'm on my way to work in the morning, or seeing gorgeous flowers in bloom, or just simply the ever changing scenery (which at the moment is pretty brown and crispy.) So, I'm staying, even though I know my partner is starting to get the itch to go back to Oz and make some money. He has been looking for a job for several months. So, yeah, even if you have experience and education, that doesn't mean smooth sailing as far as getting a job here.

Excuse me, though, as I must put on my rose-colored glasses and go sit in the sun. (First applying sunscreen so I don't develop skin cancer!)"

Doctors and Nurses Notes
There is a workforce crisis in New Zealand's hospitals. Specialist senior doctors are being lost and there is a shortage of cancer specialists. Staff are lost to Australia (where the salaries are 35% higher) and to private practice. The causes are: low pay by international standards, overwork and lack of resources to do the job.

In 2008 The College of Nurses, Aotearoa, NZ Inc. advised the incoming government of the following problems:

*"Unmanageable workloads and limited job satisfaction through inability to maintain professional standards of care deter people from remaining in the nursing profession. Most nurses graduate with high levels of debt and emigration is seen as a sensible option for many who face many years of debt repayment in New Zealand.  Currently 23% of the NZ nursing workforce is imported, often from countries which can ill afford to lose nurses.

* The many innovations and initiatives that nursing has striven for (such as establishment of the Nurse Practitioner role and increased nursing services in PHOs) are consistently slowed, impeded or blocked at health policy level.

* The magnet hospital movement is a strongly evidence based solution to patient safety and nurse workforce recruitment and retention. It remains largely ignored in NZ despite vigorous efforts by nursing to see it promoted.

* A larger Maori nursing workforce is needed to provide services to Maori"

See also an article in The Nelson Mail, 6 March 2010: "Nurses fear cutbacks put lives at risk" :

" The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board has been told by Health Minister Tony Ryall to stop spending so much money because of its worsening deficit, but nurses are saying the constraints are putting patients' lives at risk.

Nurses who expressed concerns over these risks are too scared to be named for fear of losing their jobs...


...(A) nurse said sometimes there were only two or three nurses on an afternoon shift for a full ward of 30 patients and one house surgeon for the whole hospital. "Concerns have been raised through the appropriate channels and nothing gets done about it," she said.

A third nurse, who left her job because of the stress, ended up hating nursing. "You leave there feeling like you haven't done your job."

There was a culture of bullying and a "sit down and be quiet culture" at the hospital, she said."

Updated 11 March 2010: The Nelson Mail
"Nelson nurses tell of 'horrific workloads'"

"...One nurse, who said she sought counselling after months of stressful shifts, ended up resigning. She said six other nurses had also left their jobs at the ward she worked in since September last year and most were not being replaced.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, said she was speaking out because she believed it was important to battle for patient and nurse safety. She believed nurses needed a lawyer to work in their defence because of a lack of action over their concerns from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and hospital managers. Letters shown to The Nelson Mail outline a detailed complaint she made to senior management, including the director of nursing, last year.  In the letter, the nurse points to a shift last winter which prompted nurses to file an incident form.

It was one of the "many horrific shifts" she had to work. There were four nurses when six should have been on with six admissions, a cardiac arrest and a death. She had no meal break and each nurse had seven to eight patients as well as a student to oversee...

SPEAKING OUT

Former Nelson Hospital nurse: "As nurses we expect the odd busy horrible shift, but this becomes an ethical dilemma when the majority of shifts are like this."

"Lives have already been put at risk, with deaths occurring."

"The environment at this hospital is already at crisis point, with staff leaving and patient deaths. How the hell are staff going to cope with cutbacks if the environment has already been so badly affected in the past few years? The winter will be a nightmare from hell."

Current nurse: "Maternity staff have been leaving in droves over the past 18 months and there has been a policy not to replace them."

See also:

Radiographers strike could threaten hospital treatment 

Residents of Queenstown are getting only about half the health services of similar sized centres in Otago and Southland

Director General of Health to 'stand down'



Today's posts - click here

Man Killed In Nelson Shooting

 A man was shot dead in Nelson this evening. Police armed with rifles have sealed off an area just before a bridge at Dennies Hole, on Maitai Valley Rd.

According to a report by Sally Kidson in the Nelson Mail:
"Sgt Shane Miles told the (paper) that police had received a call that a man had been shot in the chest in Branford Park.

When police arrived they found a man with an apparent gunshot injury. A doctor who was passing by confirmed the man was dead.

Sgt Miles said there were several eyewitnesses at the scene. A witness told the Nelson Mail she had heard a shot shortly before 6pm. She said she had heard screaming and fighting beforehand."

See also: Murders and violent deaths in New Zealand during 2009

Today's posts - click here

Violent Deaths In 2009 & 2010

We are aware of 78 violent deaths (murders and manslaughters) notified in the press during 2009, the figure includes 13 children and young people under the age of 18 (in bold on the list below) a shocking number when you consider that many people's prime motivation for migrating to NZ is because its a 'great place to raise kids.'

Don't be taken in by the 'offical' murder statistics. A good lawyer can get a murder charge reduced to manslaughter if intent can't be proved, and the figures don't show that, due to advances in medical care, many serious injuries are more survivable now then they were thirty years ago. Then there are the scores of people who simply 'disappear' in New Zealand every year, such as Korean mother Jessica Chun who went missing on a Northland holiday or Srikanth Rayadurgam who vanished on his way to college in Auckland.

In New Zealand during 2008 79 charges for murder were brought before the courts, there were also 69 for attempted murder and 37 for manslaughter. A total of 185 cases.

Many people also don't know that NZ has the worlds third highest number of preventable child deaths per capita. In 2003 NZ was placed 25 out of 27 countries for child maltreatment deaths in the OECD. Source www.unicef.at/fileadmin/medien/pdf/repcard5e.pdf

Violent Deaths in 2010

26 March:  A homicide inquiry was launched after a woman was stabbed to death in Remuera, another woman has been arrested on assault charges


10 March: A homicide investigation was launched after a men fell from a balcony in Auckland


19 February: A woman's body was discovered in a house in the Christchurch suburb of Huntsbury. A homicide investigation is underway and police are appealing for reports of suspicious activities and break ins over the past few days

12 February: The body of 27 year old Vanessa Pickering from New Brighton was discovered in the Godley Head area on the Banks Peninsula, near to Christchurch. A homicide investigation is underway. People are speculating that there may be a serial killer.

12 February: A woman's partially clothed body was found in Murphy's Park, Otahuhu. A homicide investigation is underway.


31 January: Taxi driver Hiren Mohini was stabbed to death in Auckland. A homicide investigation is underway


22 January: A body is found in Drake Street, New Plymouth at around 8pm. A homicide investigation is underway

19 January: Diane Elizabeth White. 53, was found battered to death with a hammer in Frankton, Hamilton. A murder investigation is underway and a 40 year old woman is in custody


13 January: A woman died after an assault at a flat in Kaikohe, a man has been arrested and a homicide investigation is underway

3 January: A man was found dead in Orewa. A 43 year old woman was charged with assault and murder

78 Violent Deaths in 2009
31 December: A 30 year old woman died after being stabbed at a house in Ruakaka at about 9.30pm. a 15 year old girl was subsquently charged with murder

22 December: A 45 year old man is found dead at his home in Taneatua, south of Whakatane, police launched a homicide investigation and later charged a 22 year old man with murder

22 December: Talented artist 43 year old Harry Faulkner was found dead at an address in Watling Street, Tauranga. Police arrested a 19 year old male in connection with his death

18 December: Darren Grace, 40, died during a struggle at a Christmas party on a yacht in Viaduct Harbour, Auckland

4 December: A 20 year old woman died from a gunshot wound in Warkworth, her partner has been charged with manslaughter.

23 November: Hawea Vercoe, 36, was visiting Whakatane when an unknown person punched him to the ground. The attack is believed to have been uprovoked. 

19 November: A homicide investigation began after a man died on the street in Queenstown, a 35 year old man has been charged with assault 

19 November: A homicide investigation was launched after a man died from head injuries in Bellmont Ave, Chartwell, Hamilton in the early hours of the morning. Another man was also injured

14 November: Troy Minto was shot dead in the Nelson suburb of Branford Park near a bridge on Maitai Valley Road at around 6pm.

4 November: Neighbours found a 70 year old woman beaten to death in her home in Kaitaia, Northland a homicide investigation was launched.

1 November: The body of Savelio Uati Peauvasa, 43, was found in a carpark at Otara Town Centre, he had head injuries. A homicide investigation was launched.

31 October: 20 year old Wini Miria Te Maia McLean was found dead in Benneydale, 35km southeast of Te Kuiti. Homicide police are investigating her death.

26 October: Care worker and mother Yvonne Marion Ross, aged 49, was found in the front yard of a vaant house in Pomona Street, Gore. Her death is being treated as suspicious.

24 October: 2 year old  Karl Richard Arc Perigo-Check died from serious internal injuries at Wanganui Hospital, a homicide investigation is launched. At the same time businessman Colin Craig launches an appeal to protest march for 'democracy' - parental rights to hit their children (the "anti-smacking law") the disconnect is incredible.

12 October: Paul Carrodus, 44, died from stab wounds and head injuries he sustained last week in Onekawa, Napier, an 18 year old male has been charged with murder.

10 October: A man was shot to death in a house in Longview Rise, Massey, West Auckland, a woman was taken into custody.

4 October: A body is found in a car after a lone gunman shot at police and injured a farm worker in the Norsewood area of North Island. Nearby villages were put into lockdown and SH2 closed between Norsewood and Waipukurau as armed police searched for the offender.

3 October: 17 year old Kaine Ernest Lewis is found dead in the driveway of a home in Tawa Street, Murupara, 65km south east of Rotorua in the early hours of the morning. A homicide investigation started and links to gang activity will be examined.

26 Sept: 22 month old Hail-Sage McClutchie is taken from a home in Studholme St, Morrinsville with serious injuries, she died a few hours later. A homicide investigation started.

24 Sept: 33 year old Damien Loder Allen is found dead from a head injury in a house in Hillsborough, Auckland. His death has been reported to the coroner.  Police lack sufficient evidence to make an arrest.


23 Sept: Mother of 3 Helen Meads was found shot dead in Banks Avenue, Matamata, Waikato. A man was later charged with her murder.


14 Sept: A man was found dead in Burrows Place, Ilam, Christchurch, also at the premises police discovered a badly injured woman who was then taken to hospital. A Homicide investigation was started.

14 Sept: Police were called to a house in Flaxmere, Hawke's Bay where they found the body of a 60 year old man. His death is presently being treated as suspicious .

7 Sept: A man died from his injuries in the early hours of the morning following a fight in Kumara, 25 km south of Greymouth. A homicide inquiry is launched. Only two weeks previously the mayor demanded a police presence in the town which has no community constable.


4 Sept: Man found dead with gunshot wound in Heretaunga Street, Palmerston North

30 Aug: A woman went missing and a man was later charged with her murder in Wainoni, Christchurch. Two bodies are then discovered beneath his house. Police are also investigating possible links to the disapperance of Trisha Lowry, who lived on the same street and Mellory Manning who died in Dec 08.

30 Aug: Layden Thomas Rameka, 32 from Waikoau was gunned down and his 8 year old son Zepplen-Solly shot in the arm during a conflict in Waikoau, near Tutira in Hawke's Bay

28 Aug: 46 year old Nigel McQueen was stabbed to death in Catalina Dr, Melville, Hamilton at around 5.45pm.

27 Aug: Thuong Si Nguyen, 32, found dead in a vehicle in Leith Court, Papatoetoe. Four people were arrested - 2 charged with possession of offensive weapons and 2 with assault

25 Aug: Andre James Delamare, 41, died on the way to hospital after being stabbed in Olliviers Road, Phillippstown, Christchurch at 6.30pm.

24 Aug: The body of a pre-term baby boy was discovered outside a home in Green Bay, West Auckland. A murder charge was later laid against an 18 year old woman.


23 Aug: Matthew Patrick Heagney, 24, of Blenheim died from head injuries outside a Blenheim bar. His death was being treated as "suspicious.


20 Aug: 3 year old Kash McKinnon died from head injuries, sustained whilst in the care of a 21 year old male. A homicide investigation started in Palmerston North.

17 Aug: Woman charged with murder after a man dies from stab wounds in Matahai Valley

11 Aug: Man's body found at an address in Mansfield Street, Newton. Screams heard before the body was discovered.

10 Aug: 39 year old mother of 4 found dead by her sister at 36 Cargill street, Papakura

8 Aug: 2 year old Jacqui Peterson-Davis dies in Kaitaia hospital, a woman is charged with assault and then murder

7 Aug: Timothy Constable, 24, died from stab wounds on a Christchurch street

17 Jul: 11 year old Triston Jermaine Papuni of Anaura Bay shot in chest with a gun whilst playing with his young cousin.

9 Jul: one of two people shot dead in Sunset Road, Mangakakahi, Rotorua

9 Jul: one of two people shot dead in Sunset Road, Mangakakahi, Rotorua

5 Jul: Scottish immigrant Lindsay Lamont died from stab wounds at her home in Ikamatua

3 Jul: Publican David White died after a punch to the head at the Little Wanganui Hotel

28 Jun: Paraplegic man armed with air gun was shot dead by the AOS, Burnside, Chch

26 Jun: 16 year old Jashana Robinson died in her Titahi Bay home

26 Jun: 21 year old Joelene Edmonds died in her Titahi Bay home

15 Jun: Waylin Te Rau Aroha Ngarangione, 19, dies from head injury after an incident in Manutuku

15 Jun: Piki Kingi of Hamilton found dead in his car following an assault


7 Jun: Koria Steven Matiaha, 25, died from severe head injuries after a beating in Masterton

5 Jun: Vivian Sinclair Hirini of Napier died after being found in his car with stab wounds

5 Jun: Trent Matthews, age 1, died. A woman charged with assault in Rotorua*

3 Jun: Katie Powles, age 26, died when her car was hit by another in Karaka, South Auckland a man is presently on trial for murder.

23 May: James Samuel Galloway died from a single stab wound in Turangi

12 May: Ms Nuttidar Vaikaew, 48, discovered beaten to death in Western Springs, Auckland


11 May: Paul Chong stabbed to death in Glenfield, North Shore


8 May: Tala Seleni, 55 found dead in her Linwood home

8 May: Melissa Nina Adcock, 32 found dead in herr Linwood home

7 May: Constable Len Snee shot during an armed siege in Napier

5 May: Man stabbed in San Angelo Court, Henderson

29 Apr: Richard Milton Jones age 64 died from severe injuries in Upper Hutt

18 Apr: Dean Peni, 29, died after an assault during a party in Flaxmere

27 Apr: Olo Fiti, 25, father of 4, found stabbed to death on a driveway in Otara

15 Apr: Terrance Carl Finch, 55, found dead after axe attack in Glenn Innes

8 Apr: 78 year old Grandfather Jasmatbhai Patel died after road rage attack

14 Mar: Woman beaten to death on a petrol station forecourt in Johnsonville

1 Mar: Tue Faave,23, died following an assault in Paremoremo prison

7 Mar: Jayrhis Ian Te Koha Lock-Tata, 5 weeks old, died from head injuries in Taupo, his father is charged with murder

26 Feb: Sanele Sanato, 36, from Glen Innes died of his injuries following an assault

17 Feb: Three year old Cherishsiliala Tahuri-Wright died after being found with serious injuries in Marton, a 56 year old woman is charged with her murder

17 Feb: Heather Rose Simons, A disabled woman from Wanganui died from a head injury sustained during an assault on Valentines Day. Her neighbour was later found guilty of her murder

27 Jan: 16 year old Jordan Herewini ran over and killed when caught in Mongrel Mob gang crossfire in Murupara

26 Jan: Moana Anahera Marie Aranui died from stab wounds on a street in St Kilda, Dunedin

25 Jan: Man died 9 days after a fight with his brother in Nelson

24 Jan: Mark Allen McCutcheon found with stab wounds in his ute near Ongaonga

23 Jan: Courier driver Halatau Kianamanu Naitoko age 17 (innocent bystander) killed in a in a shoot-out on an Auckland motorway

19 Jan: Woman died after an arson attack on her home in Pukekohe

15 Jan: Joanne Thompson beaten to death in her Waiau home

12 Jan: Gene Atkins, 28, is shot twice with a rifle in Haigh's Access Road, Redvale

* Rotorua was the town in which 4 year old Nia Glassie was tortured and beaten to death in August 2007

Last year New Zealand experienced 109 homicides, an increase of 23% on 2007 when there were only 88. (source Statistics NZ)
See also: Some child abuse cases in NZ

'Half a year of Hell in New Zealand' a six month round-up of sickening child abuse cases.

Debbie Kohner Survey On Racial Abuse In Nelson & Tasman

A survey by Debbie Kohner has revealed that more than 90% of all non-Europeans in Nelson and Tasman area have suffered racial abuse of one form or another, from abuse directed at children as young as five to frequent comments from passing cars. It's a shocking statistic. I don't believe that this problem is confined to one region, racism is endemic in NZ and seems to stem from xenophobia in many places. I'd also like to see the figures for how many people of European origin have experienced racial abuse (often from other 'Europeans') because we do hear news reports about accent rage as in the cases of Irish man Robbie O'brien, and the 6 English and Dutch tourists beaten and stabbed in Cashel Mall and anti American vitriol.

Debbie Kohner is a solicitor from Northern Ireland and no stranger to the issues of conflict and racism which she studied whilst in Belfast, there the consequences of irrational and stupid prejudices are all too well known about. She's also the granddaughter of Jewish refugees who fled the Sudetenland during the second world war and so seems superbly equipped as an outsider to define and examine racism in New Zealand with an expert eye.

Her survey included such simple questions as "Have you ever been treated badly because of how you look, the way you speak or where you come from?" Read more here: Racial abuse high in Nelson

See also
Indian students subjected to racial abuse in New Zealand
Racial discrimination in the work place

Chilean Tourist Dragged Behind Car

Source: NZ Yahoo News

"A Chilean tourist suffered cuts and grazes after being dragged about 100 metres behind a car in Nelson yesterday.

The incident happened when two men tried to drive off with the tourist's belongings.

Police said the two men had offered the 23-year-old man a ride to a backpacker hostel.

But he felt uncomfortable about the situation and asked to be let out of the car.

Acting Sergeant Terry Holland said that while the man was lifting his pack out of the boot, the driver drove off and he was pulled along the road as he hung onto his belongings.

The tourist managed to haul his bag out of the car, but suffered cuts and grazes to his shoulder and legs. He was recovering in Nelson today."

Other back packing crimes in NZ

Australian Tourist Attacked in Nelson

Source: Stuff

Police are hunting for a sex attacker who assaulted an Australian tourist walking along a roadside in Nelson, South Island.

The woman had been in NZ with a tour group and had decided to walk from Tahunanui to central Nelson to buy souvenirs when the man dragged her into undergrowth near Auckland Point school.

Her screams were heard by the occupants of a passing car who came to her aid and chased the offender who has yet to be found by police. He was described as having light olive skin, and being about 180cm tall and of medium build, in his early 40s, with greying hair, stubble, bad body and breath odour.

Police have released a CCTV video of the alleged attacker:



The assault comes days after the rape and robbery of a young Dutch backpacking couple at a campsite in South Island and is part of a rising trend of violent crime in NZ.

Also in the news was the arrest of three men for the gang rape of a woman in Matamata last Friday, her nationality is not known at this stage.

On the same day residents of the small town were incensed when a 16 year old youth, out on bail for aggravated robbery despite police objections, raped a 15 year old girl within hours of his release.

NZ First MP Ron Mark commented "When is the Youth Court going to take victims into account instead of worrying about the sensibilities of vicious young mongrels?

To bail him to his home, where his family obviously doesn't give a damn and from where he already absconded at the weekend to allegedly commit rape, borders on the insane."

Matamata-Piako District Mayor Hugh Vercoe said the bail -rape issue was "extremely frustrating, Matamata is a good little town, it does not have a lot of crime and is a very tight-knit sort of place."

Perhaps he would like to reconsider that statement in the light of recent events.