Community Engagement Report for developing a National Action Plan Against Racism One participant noted that inaccuracies in ethnicity data collection and identification meant that inadequate healthcare could be provided for certain ethnic groups: Fijian Indians have disproportionately high rates of metabolic disease and mental health issues, however currently New Zealand government agencies do not report our health statistics due to inaccuracies in the identification of our ethnicity. Even though Fijian Indians experience diabetes and heart disease at similar rates to Māori and other Pacific peoples, we are unable to access fully funded treatments … in the same way. Despite being a people of Pacific origin we do not qualify for the same level of access to early screening and disease prevention initiatives that are available to other Pacific peoples, because we are categorised within Indian ethnic codes. This participant sought equitable access to healthcare with “culturally rich co-designed health interventions”. Another participant noted language barriers prevented people from accessing healthcare and wanted to be able to go to the doctor “even though we don’t speak English”. Several participants called for a more diverse health workforce, saying “we need to see more Māori and Pacific people in health [as] their lived experience adds to their technical experience. We need them now, not later.” As in employment, the importance of cultural safety was identified. Participants wanted: A health system that treats all cultural groups with dignity and respect providing the right support that is needed, especially when English is their second language. It’s about respect and acceptance. New Zealand Human Rights Commission Criminal Justice Participants shared their experiences of the criminal justice system in several areas and identified that systemic racism had resulted in a monocultural justice system – “everything is modelled on Westminster” – where ethnic Tangata Tiriti experience inequitable outcomes. Some participants linked the experiences of ethnic groups with that of Māori in the justice system: Colonisation is an ongoing process, really impacting on Māori. An example of that is what I see it in the justice system where I work with youth. Typically, Māori youth (or anyone with non-white skin) tend to get worse consequences than nonMāori. This isn’t right. Another noted that “in the Supreme Court – even the space was so colonial”. The change people sought involved establishing a process or system where “the Treaty of Waitangi and partnership is recognised” and exploring “complementary pathways to get justice”. Participants also spoke of the need for clear processes to report racism, as many people “don’t know what to do at the grassroots level”. They don’t know where to go or what support is available: “we need a process to deal with racism and raising awareness about it. People need to be empowered to deal with racism.” Participants also called for better data on hate crimes: “police [should] publish data on hate crime. Like how many instances of which crimes are a result of hate. We need to know that information so we can know what to address.” This data needed to explicitly identify whether crimes were racist, with participants commenting that they should be identified and prosecuted as such. 71