Newly appointed Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy is yet to start her job but already faces criticism over views that burqas are “disconcerting”.
She’s also on the record saying Waitangi Day has been hijacked and should be replaced with a new national holiday.
The former world squash champion’s appointment for a five-year term, starting April 1, was announced yesterday.
Almost immediately, questions were being asked about her suitability for the role because of the views she has previously expressed about Waitangi Day and the burqa.
On February 5, Dame Susan wrote a newspaper column saying Waitangi Day has been hijacked by political shenanigans and should be replaced with another national holiday.
And in July 2011, Dame Susan shared her views on an incident where an Auckland bus driver refused to let a woman on board unless she removed her burqa.
While she “generally” believes people should be able to wear what they want, “obviously there are times when this is not appropriate”.
“Muslim women need to respect the need to sometimes de-robe in order to allow identification while New Zealanders should respect the personal choice made by these women without being ignorant and abusive,” she wrote.
“I wouldn’t want to see us legislate the ban of the burqa as much as I find them disconcerting.”
Dame Susan told RadioLIVE that she doesn’t yet have a view on New Zealand’s race relations, and was unsure whether people had genuine grievances.
“Umm,” she said, with a long pause. “I can’t really say that at this stage.”
Race Relations Minister Judith Collins has defended the appointment, saying “gosh, isn’t she right! Fantastic!” in reference to the Waitangi Day column.
Asked whether it was a conciliatory view, Ms Collins said: “The role is commissioner, not conciliator”.
“Dame Susan Devoy is saying what many people think. Waitangi Day has been hijacked, unfortunately for New Zealand, by some people who want to make political statements, when really it should be a day of celebration of our unique history ... and of our future.”
Green MP Catherine Delahunty called Dame Susan’s views on Waitangi Day “embarrassing”.
Mana: Devoy should be sacked
The Mana Party says Ms Devoy’s appointment is “disturbing” and has written to the Governor General and the Justice Minister to ask for her sacking.
Mana Party president Annette Sykes says the appointment breaches the Human Rights Act.
“She fails to meet the appointment criteria which require Commissioners to have knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and an understanding of race relations in New Zealand, and of the origins and development of those relations,” she says.
Ms Sykes says the appointment is politically motivated and the Government has bypassed “proper processes”.