Education to counter race stereotyping?

Press, 13 March 1986, Page 13

Education to counter race stereotyping?

PA Auckland An education programme to counter alleged stereotypes about Maori and Pacific Island tenants has been advocated at a meeting in Auckland. Real estate and race relations officers attended the meeting, held to discuss a report which said that more than 83 per cent of Real Estate Institute members gave preferential treatment to pakehas. The institute’s president, Mr Bill Matthewson, said there was a great need for better understanding between tenants, landlords and real estate agents.

Tenants had to be educated to be more responsible in looking after a landlord’s property, while agents and landlords needed to drop any preconceived ideas about Maori and Polynesian tenants, he said. The rental accommodation report, released in Auckland last week, said Maori and Pacific Islanders were often viewed as dirty tenants who damaged property

and overcrowded houses. Mr Matthewson said such stereotypes were often instigated as the result of bad experiences. The author of the report, Mrs Judith MacDonald, said, “As long as there is a shortage of housing and jobs, there will always be a discrimination problem.” Mr Matthewson said the Government should try to solve the housing shortage. The Race Relations

Conciliator, Mr Wally Hirsh, is expected to raise this issue with members of the Housing Corporation today. Mr Hirsh said parties at yesterday’s meeting had agreed there was a problem and were prepared to take action to correct it. “But in the end we have to persuade landlords to change the criteria under which they let their houses,” he said. “This area may be the difficult one.”