Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown rejects finding over ‘Muslim terrorist’ remark
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says he does not accept the finding that he brought the council into disrepute over a remark likening an RNZ worker to a “Muslim terrorist”.
An independent investigation by Conduct Commissioner Paul Collins into Brown’s comments found he breached the council’s code of conduct.
The mayor’s comment was material “because it brought the council into disrepute and, although it was an isolated incident, it represented a major departure from expected standards”.
Appearing on Ryan Bridge TODAY, host Katie Bradford asked Brown if he accepted that finding, which the mayor said he did not.
“But it’s been and gone so I just have to live with that.
“I have a sense of humour which not everybody has unfortunately and I didn’t realise that that was a problem.
“You know we’re a dull society as it is and there are people determined to make it duller than it already is.”
In a statement to the Herald last week, Brown said: “I accept the report findings. I acknowledged at the time that I got this one wrong and apologised. We can now move forward.”
RNZ reported that, after the worker commented on security being tight, Brown responded with words to the effect of: “Security can’t be very tight if we’re being escorted by a Muslim terrorist.”
The mayor also commented on the staff member’s beard. The man was of Indian descent.
Brown’s chief of staff gave the investigator a different account, saying Brown commented that the worker looked untidy before telling him: “You look like you could be a Muslim terrorist.”
During his appearance on the show, while wagging his finger at Bradford, Brown insisted he did not call the man a terrorist, but said he looked like one.
“I said someone was a very scruffy person and looked like one ... That’s completely different.”
The mayor said he did not apologise at the time because the man “was laughing about it”.
Brown then attacked RNZ, questioning why taxes had to fund the broadcaster before threatening not to return to the show if “stuff like that” was raised again.
The investigation, carried out under Auckland Council’s Elected Member Code of Conduct, was triggered by a complaint from a member of the public concerned Brown’s actions could normalise the “systematic issue of racism, hate and discrimination”.
Collins found the mayor’s “insulting remark” amounted to a material breach of the code.
“It breached the principle of respect and, although it was a single incident, it constituted harassment.”
The comments sparked fallout, with a Muslim advocacy group labelling Brown’s remarks “downright racism”.
Brown apologised, saying it was a poor attempt at humour.
No sanctions were imposed, and Collins found Brown’s two previous apologies were sufficient.