Racist comments by National MP and talkback host John Banks on his radio show this morning are offensive and should not be tolerated, says Labour ethnic affairs spokesperson Mark Gosche.

Mr Gosche said he would be referring the comments to the race relations' conciliator.

"Whilst we can all be concerned about the prospect of Chinese boat people landing in New Zealand illegally, Mr Banks has a responsibility as a Member of Parliament to rise above this small-minded and crude attempt at humour.

"He treats a serious issue with disdain and does it in an unacceptable manner.

"I believe he owes an apology to all Chinese people here in New Zealand for his ill-considered and racist remarks," Mr Gosche concluded.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>