The Māori Party has welcomed a charge of inciting racial disharmony against a man who posted an anti-Māori rant online.
The man was granted continued name suppression when he appeared in the Tauranga Community Magistrates' Court last week.
While the racial disharmony charge carries a lesser penalty than his other charge of making an objectionable publication, Māori Party co-leader Rawiri Waititi says it should set a precedent for any future human rights breaches and hate speech by white extremists.
He says the charge needed to be sanctioned by the Attorney General, so the crown is sending a clear message that hate speech and inciting racial disharmony will not be tolerated.
He expects those messages to be reflected in the current review of hate speech laws.
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