Scratch a Tory…

…and you still reveal a bigot, it seems. Here is National’s Immigration spokesperson, Lockwood Smith, (he who likes to swallow dead fish) on taking more Asian seasonal worker migrants instead of Polynesians:

“There are some skills in the vineyard that some people are perhaps better at, for example some of the pruning … some of the Asian workers have been more productive … because their hands are smaller. Some of them (employers) are having to teach them (Polyneisan seasonal workers) things like how to use a toilet or shower” (*)

As Samoan Studies academic Va’aomanu Pasifika, Galumalemana Alfred Hunkin says:

“They bring back shades of the sorts of comments that happened in the 1970s (during the dawn raids under former National leader Rob Muldoon).”

I really don’t think I need to go into details attacking these remarks. Any fair-minded person will be disgusted that senior politicans are still so bigoted in this day and age.

Meanwhile, John Key reminds us that bigotry isn’t just confined to factors like ethnicity, gender, and sexuality:

Lessons for politicians, No. 1: Learn a little about your audience before you open your mouth. When John Key and National’s Manurewa candidate, Cam Calder, visited the former Homai College (now the Blind and Low Vision Education Network) the audience included the institution’s teachers and other dedicated employees of the Ministry of Education. Key tells them he has two children and they attend good schools – St. Cuthbert’s and King’s – then adds, ‘If you work hard you can do the same.’ Cue deathly silence, broken only by the occasional groan. – The Business Herald, p. 23, 17/10/08 (hattip: square white world)

Yeah, John, if poor kids work hard enough then they, too, can have millionaire parents.