Re: ‘Council eyes diverse future', page 4, (The Weekend Sun, May 13).
Included in this article the Western Bay of Plenty District Council CEO John Holyoake has stated that: 'We need to recognise other things besides the traditional privileges around being wealthy and white”.
As a 77-year-old of European descent, who was born in New Zealand, I personally find the reference to 'privileges around being wealthy and white” offensive and discriminatory. Please note that I did not use the ‘R' word.
Mr Holyoakes words could be used to describe most of the current Western BOP elected councillors, which in my opinion would be inappropriate and deeply disrespectful to them.
Would Mr Holyoake care to explain why he included such words?
K Goddard, Omokoroa.
Editor's note: The Weekend Sun asked Western Bay of Plenty District Council CEO John Holyoake and Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber to reply to the letters above. They declined in this instance.
1 comment
Why include such words?
Posted on 20-05-2022 08:31 | By KiwiDerek
"Wealthy" - because they have more money than the majority of the community. "White" - because they are white. I guess you could disagree about whether those two attributes give you any "privileges", but my guess would be that they do. How strange that people are somehow offended today to be called either "wealthy" or "white". Perhaps, if you are, you are being a little over-sensitive. Surely there are more important things out there to upset you.
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