Former Race Relations Commissioner Gregory Fortuin. Photo/File
Former Race Relations Commissioner Gregory Fortuin has joined the chorus of people who have taken issue with National MP Hamish Walker's quarantine-related remarks earlier this week.
On Thursday, the MP for Clutha-Southland issued a press release suggesting 11,000 arrivals from “India, Pakistan and Korea” could be quarantined in Dunedin, Invercargill and Queenstown.
These remarks were described as "racist" by Labour's Housing Minister Megan Woods.
In a media release today, Fortuin says he is calling out Walker "for his racist comments towards people of colour."
"This is a disgraceful dog whistle akin to the racist views of Donald Trump who banned people based on country of origin.
"It’s time that we strongly called out this bigoted behaviour when we have Kiwis returning from all quarters of the world but we single out the people not represented on his party's frontbench."
Walker has denied that his remarks are racist, saying "this isn't about race, it is about the countries these Kiwis are coming from."
Fortuin also levels criticism at National Party leader Todd Muller, who has said he does not condone the remarks and has told Walker of his “concern” and “disappointment” but has stopped short of referring to them as racist.
Fortuin says, "Even worse is his leader’s inability to call out racist comments but then I don't expect anything better from a MAGA cap trophy man."