For anyone wanting to get a feel for good old grass root opinions and issues in New Zealand you can’t go far wrong by logging on to the community message boards at the NZ auction site Trademe.
This is a thread that was started on 22 March 2010 and has generated a heated debate on the site about racism and how difficult it is for people to be accepted into NZ culture if they look different, it’s not even a ‘cultural thing’ just an open hostility toward anyone who doesn’t look like they ‘fit in’ Here’s the opening post and taste of the responses it generated:
“There is much discussion in our flat. We have one Chinese (19 years in NZ), one Filipino (8 years in NZ), one English (3 months in NZ) and two PI (12-16 years in NZ). The Chinese, Filipino and PI’s receive racist remarks on a regular basis yet funnily enough our English flatmate who have been in NZ the least amount of time is welcomed with opened arms. The Chinese is NZ citizen. Filipino & PI’s are permanent residences. English on working visa.
The majority of the racists looking down their noses at us are usually white. Umm didn’t you come here after the Maori? Tossers.
Our landlord & neighbour will gladly rent to us but complain immigrants spoiling NZ, stealing jobs here & stealing contracts overseas. It’s OK to take our money but it’s not for us to get jobs here. Hyprocrite. As soon as our lease ends we’ll be going.
NZ is seen as a racist country in some parts of the world. Even Bic Runga said so. The British countries are the most racist towards the Chinese and there is a lot of racism towards Maori. Being half Chinese and half Maori can’t be easy for her.
It’s no wonder there’s a decline in rentals in Auckland. So many empty apartments. Now all those redneck aparment owners and real estate agents wish there were Asian to fill the rentals. Sorry but the Asian students won’t be coming back to line your pockets.
There’ll probably be less tourism as well. Japanese friend have mentioned articles that frequently pop up on the web or newspapers about racism during tours in NZ. Again, it’s OK to take their cash and let them on the buses and let them stay in your hotels, eat in your restaurants but you want them out of sight. Hypocrites.“
- “NZ has always been racist. It’s more noticeable now because of the increase in our immigrant populations (which I think is great, by the way)”
- “yes i agree but nz is still better than were the complaining immagrants came from so if they don’t like it here fark off back to were they came from. and nz is not known as being a really racist country thats buls***.”
Original Poster: “We live in Auckland CBD and most of us are students.”
- “Oh well nothing more to do then bugger off then if you aren’t happy. Close the door behind you , thanks”
- “yea, and i agree this country is racist. I wonder why? when the goverment starts favouring one race, then it leads to unrest and that is what is happening.”
- ” for many of us the “Asian Invasion” (as it was called) happened too fast…..too many and too fast. It changed the face of city’s and suburbs that at times it didn’t feel like home any more. It was if we were the ones in a foreign country. It takes time to assimilate into a new culture.If immigration was processed slowly, many NZers would have been a lot more accepting. It has also been very hard to deal with rude arrogant and ignorant people, and sometimes I am not surprised NZers have become sick and tired of some immigrants.”
- if you came to NZ for a better life because your country is crap & it’s not working out for you then go somewhere else, i’m sure it wont bother any other NZ citizens. And I would bet that you were seeking cheap rent so will be living in an area with a significant number of ‘undesireables’ around you… that’s what happens. The answer is very simple… move to a better neighbourhood or go to another country… or go back home where everyone is so nice to you. lol.
“To avoid confusion this is the Chinese flatmate here. Let me tell you about my experiences. I was one of those who immersed themselves into NZ culture. I came to NZ at a young age and totally embraced NZ. Was even in the kapa haka at school.
There weren’t any Chinese schools or language lessons back then so I don’t know how to read or write Chinese. I can speak in a southern dialect but I don’t speak Mandarin.
You can’t imagine how much crap I get from NZ’ers about me not being able to read/write Chinese. They look at me like I’m stupid and sometimes they will say so.
You immerse you get crap. You don’t and try to sustain some of your own culture, you still get crap.
It’s a lose lose situation.”
Original poster: No cheap rent. We live in Auckland CBD. Telling us to leave NZ when we’ve been here for most of our lives. You’re just as bad as those who tell us to either die or leave NZ on the street….”
We’ll leave you to read the rest. link
Also see: Skinhead groups are on the rise again says a gang expert
E2NZ.org 
I agree that racism is a problem even more so in the South Island. If you act like a Pom or a Scot you are okay and if you put NZ culture up on a pedestal then you are also okay. Most the Asian young people who are raised here take on the Kiwi attitude as they grow-up. I would have to say the Christchurch is probably the most racists city in NZ. I have had Kiwi friends who appear very nice and friendly say to me that they do not like Asians despite their own step child dating a Japanese or Asian person. I have also heard people (white) in NZ military say to me that “the worse thing we are doing is feeding Africans when we should be killing them- I know it sounds awful but we are just feeding into the prob by helping them.” Another Kiwi who was a recent flatmate (white male) who appears very nice says that we should put a pill in the water of Somalians and kill them instead of helping them- they die at 22 years of age anyway… When I was in Wanaka I saw on a road sign a big spray-painted statement saying “Americans out of NZ”. These are just some of the racists statements or attitudes of many Kiwis, not all but many. Do not think this country is pure- because it is less populated it is not as noticeable but the prejudice is here as it is in most places. People are people and small-town mindedness is here even in the cities of NZ.