Paul Henry is a host of TV One’s ‘Breakfast’ show. On Monday morning, he was interviewing the Prime Minister, John Key about choosing the next Governor-General. The present Governor-General is Sir Anand Satyanand. He is a New Zealander with an Indo-Fijian background. He was born in Auckland.
Paul Henry asked the Prime Minister: “Are you going to choose a New Zealander who looks and sounds like a New Zealander this time?” he asked.
Many people were very angry about this question and have complained to TV One. New Zealand is a multi-cultural society and many New Zealanders are Asian. Paul Henry apologized to the Governor-General but he has been suspended from his job at TV One, for two weeks without pay.
The Governor-General represents the Queen in New Zealand. Sir Anand was a lawyer, then a judge before he became Governor-General.
Questions
1. Who is a New Zealander? Can someone who was born in another country be a New Zealander?
2. Do you have to like rugby and cricket to be a New Zealander?
3. Should Paul Henry lose his job? Was this a racist thing to say? |