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A wahine Māori assaulted on Ōwairaka Mount Albert by a woman who objected to her moko kauae is asking the Solicitor General to review a police decision not to prosecute her assailant.
The lawyer for Ngahina Hohaia, Khylee Quince, says rather than being dealt with by the West Auckland Area Command, the complaint was referred to National Police Headquarters in Wellington.
The police conceded the assault happened, but accepted the woman’s explanation she hit Ms Hohaia because she was afraid she was about to attack her.
"That should have been tested in court and the public be able to see CCTV for themselves. The second criteria (for prosecution) is the public interest and some of the things the police need to look at when making a decision about the public interest includes whether or not the offending has been motivated or caused by a racial motivation or offending that is directed at someone's gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any of those other characteristics that are protected by our human rights laws." Associate Professor Quince says.
She is disappointed the police legal team that made the recommendation did not include any Māori.
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