Nadine Osman
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has been forced to apologise after allegedly referring to an Indian-origin Radio New Zealand (RNZ) staff member as a “Muslim terrorist” during a visit to the broadcaster’s Auckland offices on April 20. The incident occurred as Brown arrived for an appearance on RNZ’s Afternoons programme.
According to the broadcaster, a staff member greeted the mayor and apologised for a delay, explaining that security inside the building was tight.
An RNZ spokesperson said, “The Mayor responded with a comment along the lines of ‘security can’t be very tight if we’re being escorted by a Muslim terrorist’.”
The staff member also claimed Brown made a remark about his appearance, adding, “gosh, look at your beard”.
The employee, who has not been named, said he was left “shocked and hurt”, adding, “I agree with the Mayor that his comments were inappropriate and disrespectful.”
He also warned of “the danger of racial and religious stereotyping, especially by those in positions of leadership”.
RNZ chief people officer Sarah Neilson condemned the remarks as unacceptable, saying, “Our immediate concern is for our colleague who was understandably hurt.” She added, “At our workplace we want people to be treated with respect, including by our guests.”
Brown later issued an apology by email, describing the comment as a “fumbled attempt at humour” and accepting responsibility. He said, “I understand that my words were disrespectful, and I regret the harm they caused.”
However, the situation escalated after he also referred to respect for the Sikh community, despite the staff member not being Sikh. Brown later said he had been incorrectly briefed by staff.
In a further statement, he insisted he often uses humour in public interactions but admitted he “got this one wrong”, adding that he remains committed to representing all Aucklanders.
