Sexist remarks appal minister

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has taken aim at a Southlander’s ‘‘sexist’’ comments over proposed whitebait changes.

The Southland Recreational Whitebaiters Association held a meeting in Invercargill on Sunday to outline its submission regarding the Improving Whitebait Management discussion document.

At the meeting, Southland Fish & Game councillor Ken Cochrane, who is a keen whitebaiter, shared his thoughts on the document and also on his time as part of a whitebait working party.

‘‘I sat there one day and I thought: ‘What I’m listening to is a whole bunch of chick scientists.’

‘‘And if you really looked at the view that they were pitching, [it] was everybody in New Zealand should not shave their armpits, they should wear dreadlocks, and when they go whitebaiting they should do it in jandals only.

‘‘And after they catch one patty for tea they should sit down, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. That was the feeling I got.’’

The comment was met with laughter from some sections of the close to 200 people at the meeting.

However, it angered Sage. ‘‘Scientists doing their job and consulting stakeholders on whitebait management should not have to put up with being described as ‘‘chick scientists’’ and the patronising, sexist comments in this article,’’ she said in a social media post linking to the Stuff article.

Sage told The Southland Times that the Department of Conservation’s freshwater scientists were world leaders in their fields who deserved to have their knowledge and expertise respected.

‘‘I welcome robust debate about the issues at hand but derogatory and discriminatory comments are never acceptable.’’

Cochrane said yesterday that he did not perceive the comments as hurtful. However, he apologised if he had ‘‘caused anybody inconvenience or harm’’.

The comments were made out of frustration at a ‘‘flawed process’’, he said. ‘‘They were not derogatory comments made at women in any shape or form.’’

Cochrane stressed that while he is a Southland Fish & Game councillor, he did not represent the organisation at the meeting.

Department of Conservation director-general Lou Sanson joined Sage by calling Cochrane’s comments appalling. People in the workplace should only be judged by the quality of their work and integrity of character, he said.

Southland Fish & Game deputy chairman Lindsay Withington said Cochrane’s comments were misogynistic and unacceptable.

Withington said the ‘‘appalling’’ comments did not reflect the views of the Southland council.

An emergency meeting would be called that may include seeking Cochrane’s resignation, he said.

The discussion document said the whitebait population was in decline, which had prompted the proposal for changes.

Submissions were due to close on March 2 but will now remain open until March 16.