Nanaia Mahuta says she became a “lightning rod" for detractors of Three Waters. She sat down with political editor Jo Moir to explain why she will always speak out against racist and sexist attacks she is subject to.
On social media Nanaia Mahuta gets called the n-word.
She’s had cartoons in newspapers over-exaggerating her moko kauae, and at the most extreme end there have been memes depicting her as an animal.
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Mahuta doesn’t flinch when Newsroom asks her about the increasing nature of these attacks - it’s her family and the impact it has on them that she worries about.
“I know that I was on the receiving end of some pretty vitriolic criticism having seen a number of memes and cartoons that were in broad circulation that a number of my family referred to me, who were upset on my behalf,” the MP for Hauraki-Waikato tells Newsroom.
“The thing I don’t tolerate, and is why I speak out against it more and more, is the way I get treated as a woman, and a Māori woman, and a Māori woman with a view on certain things.
“I don’t want my daughter and nieces thinking they have to recoil themselves because of other people’s negative attitudes towards what they represent, they shouldn’t have to recoil themselves,” she says.
Much of the vitriol directed at Mahuta came because of the Three Waters programme she was leading as Local Government Minister.
“I recognised I was a lightning rod for the detractors around water reform, and if the ability to continue with the reforms meant that I needed to stand aside to enable that, I was happy to." - Nanaia Mahuta
The role co-governance might play in the proposed new water structure has divided the country, and as the face of the reforms, Mahuta has been under almost daily attack.
When Chris Hipkins became Prime Minister in January, he shuffled Mahuta out of the local government role, replacing her with Kieran McAnulty, and leaving her to focus her attentions on foreign affairs.
Mahuta has no issue with the way that played out.
“I recognised I was a lightning rod for the detractors around water reform, and if the ability to continue with the reforms meant that I needed to stand aside to enable that, I was happy to,” she tells Newsroom.
“But let’s be really clear – foreign affairs is a coveted portfolio and it’s a portfolio that serves New Zealand’s interests in the global community, and I’m privileged to be able to undertake that role and dedicate my time there.”
Mahuta says she has no regrets about the size and pace of the reforms she pushed for during her time as local government minister.
“What I observed when I got that portfolio was that for far too long too many ministers in the National government had just travelled through that portfolio and there were a number of issues that needed addressing.
“To be criticised for taking on a hard issue – for me what was most harmful was that it distracted from the issues I was trying to confront and address on behalf of all New Zealanders and future New Zealanders."
After 27 years in politics Mahuta has grown a bit of a thick skin but the abuse has increased in recent years.
“The nature of the images was most offensive because it over-characterised me as a Māori woman wearing a moko kauae, it over-characterised how proud I am about my identity in a negative way, and also it over-characterised the value set I bring to my role as a decision-maker, and it was all in the negative.
“My whānau were offended on my behalf and when I look at it, yes they were offensive memes and images, and to a certain degree as a politician you become conditioned to the fact this is what you take on as a politician – a level of criticism and scrutiny,” she says.
Her family has questioned why she continues to do the job.
“They do question it, but you’ve got to continue to show that the reason why you do this job is to show your voice does matter.”
Mahuta says her life experience means she has something to offer in Parliament and that means being heard at the decision-making table and contributing to how New Zealand can do things better in the future.
“Gender and racial undertones are harmful in an equal way, and it really comes down to what we tolerate as a society.” – Nanaia Mahuta
Women are simply “an easier target for the nameless, faceless keyboard warriors”, she says.
Ministerial and Labour Māori caucus colleague Willie Jackson spoke out about the abuse Mahuta receives in an interview with Newsroom in February.
He pointed to her experiences being not dissimilar to the attacks against former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and how women in politics get treated worse.
Asked by Newsroom if Mahuta had it worse given the attacks on her were aimed at both her gender and being Māori, she says the two things are “equally harmful”.
“Gender and racial undertones are harmful in an equal way, and it really comes down to what we tolerate as a society.”
Newsroom canvassed other female political leaders in Parliament as to whether they think Māori women receive more abuse than their Pakeha colleagues.
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson says it’s clear based on the attacks on both her and former co-leader Metiria Turei that Māori wahine face greater criticism.
“It’s not okay and I’d say to anyone, if you actually have a decent argument you wouldn’t resort to those sorts of attacks.” – Nicola Willis, National Party
ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden acknowledges there are both racial and gendered attacks on politicians.
“But on the whole, there’s not one particular element… I think being in the limelight, in a leadership position and outspoken on a lot of issues does mean people in the public eye will receive more threats and attacks than a member of the public would,” she says.
National deputy leader Nicola Willis says women of colour in Parliaments globally certainly report their experience is worse, but she hopes that isn’t the case in New Zealand.
Asked about the rhetoric and animal analogies used to put down Mahuta, Willis described those attacks as “yuck”.
“It’s not okay and I’d say to anyone, if you actually have a decent argument you wouldn’t resort to those sorts of attacks.”
“It’s not only our voice that matters but our perspective. We need to show other girls and women that their voice matters and if they get treated unfairly, more and more there’s less tolerance in New Zealand society for that type of behaviour." – Nanaia Mahuta, Foreign Affairs Minister
Mahuta says despite the challenges of being a public figure open to all sorts of criticism, she would never tell other women not to enter politics.
“It’s not only our voice that matters but our perspective. We need to show other girls and women that their voice matters and if they get treated unfairly, more and more there’s less tolerance in New Zealand society for that type of behaviour.
“It doesn’t matter what race you are, it’s just for girls and women generally – we’ve got to keep lifting women up because if we don’t, nobody else will,” she tells Newsroom.
The only advice she has is that heading into politics without any life experience could be too soon for some.
“There are some girls who think coming straight into politics is the pathway. I’d probably temper some of that ambition and say commit yourself to your community and find what your passion is first.”
Mahuta plans on sticking around provided voters will have her, and despite the past few years, she insists race relations in New Zealand continue to move forward.
She hopes to win Labour’s nomination for Hauraki-Waikato and contest the election in October.
“I’m excited about the opportunities that lay ahead of us. I have a renewed sense of hope and aspiration for our region and our country."
