A lie about women and children allegedly burnt to death in a Waikato church that they sought refuge in was repeated in a news report on Friday.

When two high school students were told, in 2014, that colonial troops herded women and children into a church at Rangiaowhia on that day and then set the church on fire, killing 144, they were deeply shocked and petitioned Parliament to set up “a national day to commemorate those who lost their lives in the land wars, both Maori and colonial”. [1]

However, you don’t have to look far to see that the story is at best incorrect or at worst, a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive, otherwise known as a lie. Why?

Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon tried to gloss over blatant racism in the Local Government Act 2002 when he said he was disappointed that our pamphlet, delivered at the weekend, criticised tribal appointees and Maori wards or constituencies in local government.

The “Give Nothing to Racism” anti-discrimination campaign was funded by discriminatory levies payable only by international students and new migrants, The Taxpayers’ Union revealed on Friday.

This year’s New Zealand Budget shows that over $8 million, or 17 percent of the total allocation for Vote Treaty Negotiations, has been earmarked for determining customary interests in the marine and coastal area over the next year.