Just over 5 years ago, on 15 July and 5 August 2004, there were two separate attacks on Jewish graves, first at the Abraham Hort Lawn area of the Bolton Street Memorial Park, where gravestones were smashed, and then in the Jewish section of Makara Cemetery, where nearly a hundred headstones were toppled, and the Jewish prayer house burnt down.
These were shattering events for the Jewish community and individuals in it - the resting places of our relatives and friends were desecrated, we felt our community was under threat. There was also a strong sense of dismay that this had happened in New Zealand, distant from the world's trouble spots, where a small Jewish community has been present for over 150 years and contributed its share to New Zealand society.
The desecrations were also seen as an affront by a huge number of Kiwis from all parts of the country and all parts of society, who expressed outrage, sympathy and support.
But straight away there were expressions of how the events, and the reaction to them, could be turned to positive effect. On 10 August Parliament passed unanimously a resolution about the desecrations, instigated by Minister of Ethnic Affairs Chris Carter.
And these two heroes, Helen and James McNeish [Helen unfortunately could not be present because of ill-health] sent out a public call.
I would like to read you part of the open letter they wrote:
As we are sure you are aware, we as New Zealanders face the growing challenge of developing a society which is more welcoming of diversity, made more poignant by recent events.
Tuesday 10 August's unanimous, cross party resolution in Parliament, condemning the desecration of Wellington Jewish cemeteries as an outrage and a form of terrorism, is widely welcomed. But it is only a beginning. We want to give expression to Parliament's historic resolution. We want to focus on constructive ideas and initiatives which look to the future.
We want to support the mission of the Race Relations Commissioner to promote racial harmony, which leads us to rise above politics and division.
We have two aims - to stimulate commitment towards greater tolerance, and to help inform and strengthen existing initiatives so that all ethnic and religious groups may feel they can live in this land without being threatened by their "difference".
People are shocked, shaken up. Already we are heartened by the support coming in from New Zealanders of all cultures and backgrounds, as evinced by the statement from community leaders tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.
We believe that the implication of what has happened at Bolton St and Makara goes far beyond a single targeted community: that it is both a signal and a test for all New Zealanders. We have a vision of racial harmony in a healthy society which we hope all New Zealanders share.
You will surely agree that this was an inspirational call.
The outcome of the letter, the huge input of many people particularly including Tony Haas [here this evening], and a great deal of networking, was a rally held on the steps of Parliament on 24 August 2004, 5 years ago today, which was addressed by Sir Paul Reeves, Mayor of Dunedin Sukhi Turner, Dr Ngatata Love, the Honourable Chris Carter, and Mr Roger Moses, principal of Wellington College. Then followed a forum called "The way forward" inside Parliament, co-chaired by Mayor Bob Harvey of Waitakere and Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres, with a keynote speech by Professor Paul Morris, which adopted the 10-step National Diversity Action Programme.
Under Joris's committed and skilful guidance this has flourished - as can be seen by this year's annual Forum, and the thousands and tens of thousands of Kiwis who have been involved in Diversity Action Programme activities. The Programme has contributed mightily to making New Zealand a safer and more harmonious place. But I am sure Joris, the Human Rights Commission, and everyone involved with the programme will agree that we can't stand still - we have to remember always the word Action in the programme.
Like rust, the corrosive effects of intolerance and prejudice never sleep.
Our duty is to make sure that their level of activity in the community stays low and is outbalanced by the positive things we look for through the Diversity Action Programme.
I would like to take the opportunity to mention one aspect of New Zealand society that I'd like to see the Programme and the Human Rights Commission pay some attention to. That is the change I sense in our media towards more openly expressed antagonisms of all sorts - the ones that concern me most relate to religion and ethnicity. It is Jewish experience, from many different countries and over many hundreds of years, that what starts as talk can end up as violence. But I speak now not only as a Jew but on behalf of all New Zealand minority groups, and especially the Tangata Whenua, who are at the receiving end of what the media often thoughtlessly, sometimes deliberately, deliver up.
In 1990 a book was published, co-edited by a previous Race Relations Conciliator, Wally Hirsh, called "Between the lines - racism and the New Zealand media." It raised questions that haven't been answered yet - and I think the topic needs looking at again.
We enjoy freedom of expression under the NZ Bill of Rights, and should not interfere with that freedom, but all rights also carry responsibilities with them, and it is those media responsibilities that I think need to be revisited.
But getting back to our 5-year commemoration of the positive outcome of the Jewish grave desecrations, it's a privilege for me to present James McNeish - and Helen in absentia - with a copy of the DVD "Te Ngira" about five years of the National Diversity Action Programme. James, I hope that you and Helen enjoy a deep satisfaction at seeing and hearing the results of what you started.
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