Apology for offensive health leaflet

ROTORUA: A leaflet at the centre of a racism outcry will be destroyed, with health bosses apologising.

The joint chairwomen of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (DHB) and Te Runanga Hauora Maori o te Moana a Toi yesterday issued an unreserved apology to local Maori, iwi and hapu partners, and whanau, for an inappropriate design on Covid19 marketing material.

Runanga chairwoman Linda Steel said iwi from Mai I Nga Kuri a Whaarei ki Tihirau were ‘‘beyond offended’’ that the most sacred part of the tinana (body), the head, had been depicted in the manner on the leaflet.

The publicity material, ‘‘Let’s Give Covid19 The Boot’’ issued by the Bay of Plenty DHB and its public health arm, Toi Te Ora Tauranga, provides information about the Pfizer vaccination, with the virus portrayed as Maori.

The front cover shows a farmer in Red Bands kicking a virus with mataora, while another shows a health worker standing on its head and puncturing the virus.

It drew condemnation for its cultural insensitivity and racism from the Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon and Rotorua MP Tamati Coffey.

Yesterday, the health board boss revealed a local Maori artist designed the imagery, with input from Maori marketing specialists and local iwi.

But DHB chairwoman Sharon Shea said the process failed.

‘‘. . . it is clear that the process was not as robust as needed, and this design has caused offence. On this occasion, we have failed our Maori community, and we apologise. It’s not good enough.’’ — Rotorua Daily Post