14 H U M A N R I G H T S COMMISSION | A FAIR GO FOR ALL? Context A consistent theme the Commission encountered in its groups for resisting mainstream values. Lyons et al research and meetings is the intrinsic connection between conclude that: ethnic inequality and structural discrimination on the one hand and the broader context of New Zealand society on the other. In particular, societal and public attitudes, deficit theorising, intergenerational factors and socio-economic factors must form part of this discussion because these elements contribute to and exacerbate the impacts of structural discrimination. Giving better effect to the Treaty of Waitangi – discussed more fully in the previous section – was also cited as a means to overcome systemic barriers to equality. Public attitudes In New Zealand, the talk of these young adults works in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways to reinforce current patterns of social power and inequities, normalising and justifying the status quo (the dominant Päkehä culture). Such constructions draw on talk about the nation and nation-space to create further versions of new and modern racism which reify and legitimate patterns of social power and dominance.59 The 2006/07 New Zealand Health Survey shows the number of patients who felt “treated with respect and dignity” by their primary health care provider varied by In meetings with government agencies, many people ethnicity. The survey reports Asian, Pacific and Mäori expressed the view that racist and discriminatory attitudes adults “were significantly less likely than adults in the total held by individuals feed into systemic discrimination. population ... to report that their health care professional Systems are run, after all, by people. In 2012, the treated them with respect and dignity ‘all of the time’.60 Commission identified racial prejudice as a barrier to progress in racial equality: Racial prejudice is judging before we know. In that sense, it includes: negative attitudes to the Treaty, to indigenous rights, to Mäori, Pacific peoples, Asians, migrants and refugees. These prejudices are still far too prevalent, and compromise efforts to address race relations issues. They lead to discrimination, marginalisation, and the perpetuation of injustice and inequalities, and prevent the social and economic benefits of diversity being fully realised. Racial prejudice in its many forms continues to frustrate the achievement of positive race relations in New Zealand.57 This research supports the views expressed in meetings with government agencies. There were cases where Mäori public servants had experienced discrimination based on ethnicity. For example, a Mäori woman received poor service from a bank teller when applying for a mortgage using her Mäori name. The woman said that service improved when her husband provided the teller with his Päkehä name. The existence of individual and collective racist attitudes should not be forgotten in discussion about structural discrimination: as heard in the workshops, “attitudes inform and shape how systems are made.” Some people spoken to underlined the importance of focusing on behaviours as opposed to attitudes – that the behaviour of service providers is more important than attitudes in contributing to inequalities and it is in the realm of The existence of racist attitudes in New Zealand is explored behaviour where systemic change will take place. in research by Bernard Guerin, and in research by Antonia C. Lyons, Helen Madden, Kerry Chamberlain and Stuart Carr The difference between individual (or personal) racism and (Lyons et al). Both projects analyse casual conversations, institutional racism is important here. While both forms some of which were about non-ethnicity related subjects of racism have negative implications for marginalised (in which ethnicity arose), others were prompted by news groups, individual acts of racism often receive more public articles related to ethnicity. Guerin found that people “do attention as they are often overt and easier to identify than not openly slander members of other racial groups but entrenched less visible forms of racism within institutional they still subtly talk in prejudicial ways when safe to do policies and practices. Additionally, as sociologist Professor so.”58 Lyons et al highlighted the subtlety of modern racism Wornie Reed explains: including the denial of prejudice and criticising minority