Last weekend, Multicultural New Zealand (MNZ) held its 36th Annual General Meeting, bringing together Government agencies, the Human Rights Commission, Police, economists, and community leaders in Wellington. The gathering carried a united message: the safety of communities is the strategic objective of MNZ, and social cohesion cannot thrive where communities live in fear of hate speech and public demonstrations of hate.

From Whangārei to Murihiku Southland, delegates spoke of the anxiety and lasting harm hate speech causes. It corrodes trust, undermines dignity, and forces migrants, women, children, seniors, and rainbow members to live with constant stress.

“Enough is enough. Hate speech deliberately exploits divisions and fuels polarisation. No community should have to endure the strain of living with this hostility,” stated MNZ President Pancha Narayanan.

The AGM unanimously resolved that MNZ will lead efforts for social cohesion, grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, through its national programme Huarahi Hou – A Pathway to a Te Tiriti-based Multicultural Aotearoa. Importantly, delegates emphasised that this is not a matter for future debate but for immediate action: urgent legislation against hate speech must now be pursued in

New Zealand, as it already exists in many other democracies.

Community leaders signalled that this will be a defining issue in the 2026 General Election. In a considered discussion, community leaders defined the threshold where free speech becomes hate speech: free expression remains vital in a democracy, but it crosses the line when it turns into deliberate attacks on the dignity and safety of communities.

Mr Narayanan added, “Social cohesion is not optional. It is the foundation of a safe and thriving Aotearoa New Zealand. Through unity, respect, and leadership, we can safeguard the dignity and wellbeing of all communities.”

The AGM reaffirmed that MNZ and its member councils will adopt a community-based, bipartisan, and non-partisan approach in the months ahead working with political leaders, the media, and the wider public. Through this, MNZ aims to keep the protection of vulnerable communities and the promotion of social cohesion firmly at the centre of New Zealand’s public agenda.

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