Maoris object to "stereotyping’

Press, 22 August 1978, Page 21

Maoris object to "stereotyping’

PA Wellington ■ News media treatment I of Maoris, has been at- ' tacked at a hearing by I Parliament’s Select Com- ! mittee on Violent offendI ing. I In submissions to the I committee. the Maori i Council attacked the I “almost continuous stereo- | typing of the Maori by the I media when it should , know better.” . The council said it believed much that was published reflected negative attitudes towards the Maori and that this in turn made many Maoris angry and bitter. “For example, after a Black Power convention in Hastings at Easter, which had been trouble-free, the media had a big splash about ‘Black Power assault police’ when, in fact, it was only a car-load of ymuths concerned, and not the hundreds who attended the convention.” the submissions said.

i “The whole attitude of the press was one of ex- ■ pecting trouble, instead of highlighting the positive I aspects of the gathering, j Progress reports were in ■ the vein of ‘There has I been no trouble — yet,’ ” I i said the council’s submis- i ! sions. “The insensitive and i uninformed handling of ' I Maori issues, once again I by the media and people in authority, merely fans • Maori discontent with ■ > authority, and to many, : authority is synonymous i with pakehas — another ; cause then to resent the pakeha.” the council said. i A more "sensitive and i informed” approach to i Maori values would help . e reduce violent reactions to ! i Europeans. t It recommended that the j t media be encouraged to i f look freouentl., at the t positive side of things in J Maori life as a contribu- ‘ tion to help prevent violent offending.