Wong joke condemned but not all take offence

Winston Peters’ ‘‘two Wongs don’t make a white’’ joke has drawn criticism from a local multicultural group, but a local Wong sees no problem with Peters’ sense of humour.

Peters made the joke during a speech which focused on foreign ownership of assets in New Zealand. Peters used the joke to condemn Labour and National-led governments for the sale of agricultural land.

Aoraki Multicultural Centre publicity officer Kate Elsen said the joke was ‘‘an example of ‘soft’ racism that can start to divide a society’’. Elsen said the comments could take people ‘‘in the opposite direction of the inclusive community we are building in Timaru and in New Zealand’’.

She said politicians should be focusing on ‘‘essential issues’’.

However, Timaru mother Nicole Wong said she had no problem with Peters’ joke.

‘‘It’s his mouth. I don’t really care.’’

The New Zealand Chinese Association’s Timaru branch spokesman Ron Yee said his organisation did not yet have an official response to Peters’ joke.