致新西兰议会议长、总理及全体国会议员公开信

尊敬的议长阁下、总理阁下及各位国会议员：

我们谨代表90多个社区组织，并与来自不同族裔、不同背景、不同地区、通过公开渠道表达支持的新西兰居民一道，共同发出这一公开呼吁。

这封公开信无关党派立场，也无关政治利益。

它关乎维护支撑新西兰议会民主制度的基本原则，关乎每一位新西兰人应当享有的平等尊严，以及我们共同珍视的国家价值。

议会是新西兰民主制度的重要核心机构。它代表全体人民行使立法权，监督政府，维护法治，并保障所有新西兰人的民主权利。议会的权威不仅源于法律赋予的权力，更源于人民对其公正、公平和代表全民的信任。

正因如此，我们对国会议员温斯顿·彼得斯（Winston Peters）在议会中所发表的以下言论深表关切：

“Go back to your own country.”（滚回你自己的国家去。）

无论当时的政治背景为何，这样的言论都引发了对于新西兰民主制度所维护的平等与尊重原则的严重关切。

一个人的公民身份、居留身份以及其在新西兰社会中的合法地位，应当由法律制度确认，而不是由政治言论决定。

新西兰是一个建立在民主、法治和公民平等基础上的国家。今天的新西兰，是无数不同族裔、不同文化背景的人们共同建设的成果。他们辛勤工作、依法生活、纳税、抚育家庭、服务社区，并共同承担建设国家的责任。他们都是新西兰社会不可分割的一部分。

任何人的归属，都不应因其族裔、出生地、祖籍、语言或口音而受到质疑。

“滚回你自己的国家去”这句话，并不仅仅是一句失礼的话语。它传递出的信息，可能使部分新西兰居民感受到自己的身份、归属和作为平等社会成员的地位受到质疑。

民主社会当然需要激烈而充分的政治辩论。

议员可以就政策、理念及政府行为进行严厉批评，也应当如此。然而，民主讨论的前提，应当建立在彼此承认对方作为民选代表及新西兰人的平等地位之上，而不是否定他人的归属。

议会应当成为民主行为规范和公共责任的典范。

它应当体现法治精神、公民平等、相互尊重、包容多元及维护社会团结，而绝不应成为制造排斥、歧视或社会分裂言论的场所。

基于上述原则，我们谨郑重呼吁新西兰议会：

一、确认任何基于族裔、出生地或身份背景，否定他人合法归属的言论，都不符合平等公民权和代议民主原则；

二、要求温斯顿·彼得斯就其相关言论作出明确、公开、毫无保留的道歉；

三、再次重申议会对于平等、尊重、包容以及每一位新西兰人尊严的坚定承诺，不因族裔、祖籍或出生地而有所区别；

四、继续维护议会成员应有的行为标准，促进尊重、有原则的民主讨论，并维护公众对议会的信任。

本次呼吁已获得90多个社区组织的共同支持，并得到来自新西兰不同社区、不同背景人士的积极响应。支持声音仍在持续汇聚。

这不仅体现了华人社区的关切，也反映了新西兰多元社区中对于尊重、公平和包容的共同期待：我们的民选代表，应以身作则，以尊重、公正和责任开展公共讨论，维护民主制度赖以运作的共同价值。

新西兰民主制度的力量，从来不是建立在所有人意见一致之上，而是建立在共同尊重法治、维护民主程序、坚持民主原则，以及承认每一位公民享有平等地位。

一次真诚的道歉，不会削弱议会的权威；相反，它将彰显议会维护民主价值、勇于承担责任和尊重全体人民的决心。

新西兰属于所有依法拥有身份、在这里生活、贡献，并共同建设这个国家的人。

任何一位新西兰人，都不应被告知“滚回你自己的国家”。

这一原则，应当适用于社会的每一个角落，更应当首先体现在代表全体人民的新西兰议会。

谨此致意。

谨代表全体联署社区组织，以及通过公开渠道表达支持的个人，共同表达这一关切。

He Pānui Ngātahi mō te Tūrangawaewae Manapori, te Tūranga Kirirarau Ōrite, me te Whakaute ki te Pāremata

He Pukapuka Tuwhera ki te Kaikōrero o te Whare, ki te Pirimia, me ngā Mema Katoa o te Pāremata

E te Kaikōrero o te Whare, e te Pirimia, me ngā Mema o te Pāremata, tēnā koutou,

Ka tuhia tēnei reta mō ngā whakahaere hapori neke atu i te 90, me ngā tāngata o Aotearoa nō ngā momo ahurea me ngā horopaki rerekē kua whakaatu i tō rātou tautoko mā ngā ara tūmatanui.

Ehara tēnei reta i te kaupapa mō ngā rōpū tōrangapū, engari mō ngā mātāpono manapori e tautoko ana i te pūnaha Pāremata o Aotearoa.

He wāhi matua tō te Pāremata i roto i te manapori ā-ture o Aotearoa. Koia te whare e māngai ai te iwi o Aotearoa, e hangaia ai ngā ture, e tirohia ai te kawenga a te Kāwanatanga, ā, e tiakina ai ngā tika manapori o ia kirirarau.

Ehara te mana o te Pāremata i te mea nō ngā mana ā-ture anake; nō te whakapono hoki o te iwi whānui ka whakaatuhia ia tangata o Aotearoa me te mana taurite me te whakaute.

Nā reira, e tino āwangawanga ana mātou mō ngā kupu i puta i roto i te Whare Pāremata e te Mema Pāremata a Winston Peters:

“Go back to your own country.”

Ahakoa ngā horopaki tōrangapū o taua wā, ko ēnei kupu ka ara ake ai ngā māharahara nui mō ngā mātāpono o te ōritetanga me te whakaute e tūāpapa ana i te manapori o Aotearoa.

Ko te tūnga kirirarau o te tangata, tōna tūnga noho ture, me tōna wāhi tika i roto i te hapori o Aotearoa, me whakatau mā te ture, ehara mā ngā kōrero tōrangapū.

He whenua manapori rangatira a Aotearoa e tū ana i runga i te whakaaro he ōrite te mana o te hunga katoa e whai tika ana ki te kī ko tēnei whenua tō rātou kāinga.

Kua hangaia tō tātou hapori e ngā whakatipuranga maha o ngā tāngata nō ngā ahurea, ngā iwi, me ngā pūtaketanga rerekē. Kua whai wāhi rātou mā ā rātou mahi, ā rātou ratonga ki te hapori, ā rātou whānau, me tō rātou ū ki te painga mō te katoa.

Kaua rawa tō rātou wāhi taurite i roto i te hapori o Aotearoa e whakapaetia nā runga i tō rātou whakapapa, wāhi whānau mai, iwi, reo, rānei tō rātou reo kōrero.

Ko ngā kupu:

“Go back to your own country”

he kupu ka toro atu tōna pānga ki tua atu i te tautohe tōrangapū noa.

Ka puta pea te whakaaro kei raro iho te mana o ētahi tāngata o Aotearoa ki ētahi atu mō tō rātou whai wāhi ki tēnei whenua. Ka taea hoki e ēnei momo kōrero te whakaiti i te whakapono o te iwi ki te Pāremata hei whare e māngai taurite ana mō te katoa.

Ko te tautohe tōrangapū kaha he wāhanga matua o te manapori Pāremata.

Me āhei ngā Mema Pāremata ki te wero i ngā whakaaro, ngā kaupapa here, me ngā whakatau a ētahi atu mā te kaha me te ū.

Heoi anō, ka kaha ake te manapori ina ū tonu ngā tautohe ki te whakaute tahi me te mōhio he ōrite te mana o ia māngai me ia kirirarau.

Me noho te Pāremata hei tauira mō ngā tikanga manapori me te kawenga tūmatanui.

Me whakaatu te Pāremata i te wairua o te ture, te ōritetanga o te tangata, te whakaute tahi, te kanorautanga, me te whakakotahitanga o te hapori.

Kaua rawa te Pāremata e waiho hei wāhi whakaputa kōrero e waihanga ana i te aukatinga, te whakahāweatanga, te wehewehenga rānei o te iwi.

---

Nā runga i ēnei mātāpono, ka tono whakaute mātou ki te Pāremata kia:

1. Whakaae ko ngā kōrero e whakakē ana, e patapatai ana rānei i te wāhi o tētahi tangata i Aotearoa, kāore e hāngai ana ki ngā mātāpono o te tūranga kirirarau taurite me te manapori māngai;

2. Tono kia tukuna e Winston Peters tētahi whakapāha mārama, tūmatanui, kāore he here, mō āna kōrero;

3. Whakahau anō i te ū o te Pāremata ki te kōrero manapori whakaute, te mana taurite o te tangata, me te whakauru mai i ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa ahakoa tō rātou iwi, whakapapa, wāhi whānau mai rānei;

4. Kia mau tonu ki ngā paerewa whakahaere e whakapakari ana i te whakapono o te iwi ki te Pāremata hei whare māngai mō te motu katoa.

---

Kua whiwhi tēnei tono i te tautoko a ngā whakahaere hapori neke atu i te 90, ā, kei te piki tonu ngā reo tautoko mai i ngā wāhi me ngā hapori rerekē puta noa i Aotearoa.

E whakaatu ana tēnei i te whakapono kotahi: me noho tonu te Pāremata hei whare ka taea e ia tangata o Aotearoa te whakawhirinaki atu, ahakoa tōna whakaaro tōrangapū, tōna ahurea, rānei tōna whakapapa.

Kāore te kaha o te manapori o Aotearoa i ahu mai i te whakaaro kotahi o te katoa.

Engari, ka ahu mai i te ū tahi ki te kāwanatanga ā-ture, te mana o te ture, te kawenga manapori, me te tūranga kirirarau taurite.

Ko te whakapāha pono kāore e whakaiti i te mana o te Pāremata.

Engari, ka whakapakari kē i a ia, ā, ka whakaatu kei te ū tonu ngā whare manapori o tātou ki ngā mātāpono hei tiaki mā rātou.

Ko Aotearoa he kāinga mō te hunga katoa e whai tika ana i raro i te ture ki te kī ko tēnei whenua tō rātou kāinga.

Kaua rawa tētahi tangata o Aotearoa e kīia kāore ia nō konei.

Me whai mana tēnei mātāpono ki ngā wāhi katoa o te hapori — engari ko te mea nui rawa, me kitea i roto i te Pāremata e māngai ana mō tātou katoa.

Ngā mihi nui,

Mō ngā whakahaere kua haina me ngā kaitautoko e ū ana ki ēnei mātāpono.

---

The following organisations have expressed their support for this statement:

Ko ngā whakahaere e whai ake nei kua whakaatu i tō rātou tautoko mō tēnei tauākī:

A Joint Statement on Democratic Belonging, Equal Citizenship, and Respect for Parliament

Open Letter to the Speaker of the House, the Prime Minister, and All Members of Parliament

Dear Speaker of the House, Prime Minister, and Members of Parliament,

We write on behalf of more than 90 community organisations, together with New Zealanders from diverse backgrounds who have expressed their support through public channels.

This letter is not about party politics. It is about the democratic principles that sustain New Zealand’s parliamentary system.

Parliament occupies a central place in New Zealand’s constitutional democracy. It is the institution through which the people of New Zealand are represented, laws are enacted, governments are held accountable, and the democratic rights of every citizen are protected. Its authority rests not only upon legal power but also upon public confidence that every New Zealander is represented with equal dignity and respect.

For that reason, we are deeply concerned by the statement made in the House by Member of Parliament Winston Peters:

“Go back to your own country.”

Regardless of the immediate political context, such language raises serious concerns about the principles of equality and respect that underpin New Zealand’s democracy.

A person’s citizenship, residency status, and lawful place within New Zealand society are determined by law, not by political rhetoric.

New Zealand is a sovereign democracy founded upon the equal status of all who are entitled to call this country home. Our society has been built by successive generations of people of many cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds who have contributed through their work, their service, their families, and their commitment to the common good. Their equal place within our national community should never be called into question because of their ancestry, birthplace, ethnicity, language, or accent.

The words “Go back to your own country” carry implications that extend beyond ordinary political disagreement. They risk creating the impression that some New Zealanders are less entitled to belong than others. Such language risks undermining public confidence that Parliament speaks equally for all the people of New Zealand.

Robust political debate is fundamental to parliamentary democracy. Members of Parliament should challenge one another’s ideas, policies, and decisions with vigour. However, democratic debate is strengthened—not weakened—when it remains grounded in mutual respect and recognition of the equal status of every representative and every citizen.

Parliament should exemplify democratic standards and public responsibility.

Accordingly, we respectfully call upon Parliament to:

1. Acknowledge that language questioning a person’s place in New Zealand is inconsistent with the principles of equal citizenship and representative democracy;
2. Require Winston Peters to issue a clear, public, and unequivocal apology for his statement;
3. Reaffirm Parliament’s commitment to respectful democratic discourse, equal dignity, and the inclusion of all New Zealanders, regardless of ethnicity, ancestry, or place of birth; and
4. Continue to uphold standards of conduct that strengthen public confidence in Parliament as the representative institution of the entire nation.

This appeal has received the support of more than 90 community organisations, with further expressions of support continuing to emerge from across New Zealand. It reflects a shared belief that Parliament must remain an institution in which every New Zealander can have confidence, regardless of political affiliation or cultural background.

The strength of New Zealand’s democracy has never depended upon uniformity. It has depended upon a shared commitment to constitutional government, the rule of law, democratic accountability, and equal citizenship.

An apology would not diminish Parliament. It would strengthen it. It would affirm that our democratic institutions remain committed to the principles they exist to protect.

New Zealand belongs equally to all who are entitled by law to call it home. No New Zealander should be told that they do not belong. That principle should apply everywhere—but most especially within the Parliament that represents us all.

Yours sincerely,

On behalf of the signatory organisations and supporters who share these principles.

The following organisations have expressed their support for this statement:

1. New Zealand China Friendship Society – Christchurch Branch
2. New Zealand Chinese Association in Christchurch
3. New Zealand Chinese Advisory Groups Trust
4. Federation of the Chinese Association of New Zealand 2016 Incorporated
5. Botany and Flat Bush Chinese Association of New Zealand
6. Bright Pathway Foundation Inc.
7. Browns Bay Chinese Association
8. Chao Shan General Association of New Zealand
9. Chinese Association of West Auckland
10. Chinese Culture Association (NZ) Incorporated
11. Christchurch Chinese Women’s Association
12. Christchurch Zhong Hua Chinese Society
13. Dunedin Chinese Scholars & Students Association
14. Dunedin Senior Chinese Association
15. Dunedin Taichi Club
16. Fit & Fun Badminton Club Inc.
17. The New Zealand Guangzhou Chinese Association Inc.
18. NZ Guangzhou Youth Federation Inc.
19. Hebei Association of New Zealand Incorporated
20. Hunan–New Zealand Fellowship Association
21. NZ Hunan Youth Federation Incorporated
22. Invercargill Chinese Association
23. Kiwi Chinese Association Incorporated
24. Nanhai, Panyu, Shunde Friendship Society of New Zealand Incorporated
25. New Zealand Association of Cantonese Incorporated
26. New Zealand Remuera Chinese Association
27. New Zealand Association of Musicians and Dancers Incorporated
28. New Zealand Charitable Association Inc.
29. New Zealand China–New Zealand International Cultural and Arts Exchange Association
30. New Zealand Chinese Culture and Arts Academy Incorporated
31. New Zealand Handicrafts Association Incorporated
32. New Zealand Chinese Culture Communication Association
33. New Zealand Chinese Antique and Art Collectors Incorporated
34. New Zealand Chinese Hubei Association
35. New Zealand Christchurch Guangdong Association
36. New Zealand Guangxi Association Incorporated
37. New Zealand Guangxi Chamber of Commerce Incorporated
38. New Zealand International Art Exchange Association
39. New Zealand Liaoning General Association of Commerce Incorporated
40. New Zealand Light Volleyball General Association
41. New Zealand Jiaxing Association
42. New Zealand Sichuan-Chongqing Youth Association
43. New Zealand United Harmony Arts Incorporated
44. New Zealand Taiji and Martial Arts Society Incorporated
45. New Zealand Sichuan and Chongqing Association Incorporated
46. New Zealand Yangjiang Association
47. NZ Chinese Daily News Network
48. New Zealand Newspaper
49. New Zealand Poetry, Painting and Photography Association Incorporated
50. New Zealand Qingyuan Friendship Association Incorporated
51. New Zealand Sichuan-Chongqing Cooperative Foundation Incorporated
52. New Zealand Xinhui Association Incorporated
53. New Zealand (Otago) Chinese Professional & Business Association
54. New Zealand Putian General Society
55. North Shore Chinese Association Inc.
56. Sunnynook Chinese Association Inc.
57. Epsom Chinese Association
58. Puketapapa Arts and Culture Association Inc.
59. Pakuranga Chinese Association Inc.
60. Chushang Federation of New Zealand
61. Blockhouse Bay Chinese Association Inc.
62. Albany Chinese Association Inc.
63. Changchun Association of New Zealand
64. Auckland Mulan Boxing Association Inc.
65. White cloud choir of Auckland
66. Otago Chinese Professionals Association
67. Qingdao Fellow Association of New Zealand Incorporated
68. Qionghai Association of New Zealand Incorporated
69. Queenstown Chinese Community Association
70. Shandong Economic and Trade Association of New Zealand
71. Shanghai Federation of Industry and Commerce in New Zealand
72. Shanghai Fellowship Association of New Zealand
73. SportHub Community Trust
74. Starlight Art Association
75. The Moon Dance Group Inc.
76. Waitākere Chinese Association
77. World Chinese Musicians Association – New Zealand Branch
78. YouthCan Inc. New Zealand
79. New Zealand Suihua Chamber of Commerce
80. BNETV Limited
81. New Zealand Multicultural and Arts Exchange Centre
82. The Federation of New Zealand Shenzhen Societies
83. Ardour Charitable Trust
84. New Zealand Shaanxi General Association of Commerce Incorporated
85. Marlborough Chinese Community
86. Aotearoa New Zealand Education & Exchange Council
87. New Zealand Messenger
88. New Zealand Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles Incorporated
89. New Zealand-China Society of Science, Technology and Education
90. Lions club of Christchurch Chinese
91. Hunan General Commercial Association in New Zealand Incorporated