The Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, He Whenua Taurikura, was officially launched on Friday by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
“Implementing all of the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain is a priority for the Government,” Jacinda Ardern said.
“We have ensured that the Centre of Excellence will go even further than the Commission’s recommendation to establish a programme to fund independent New Zealand-specific research on the causes of, and measures to prevent, violent extremism and terrorism.
“I am pleased to announce Professor Dr Joanna Kidman (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa) and Distinguished Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley have been appointed Directors of the Centre to lead that work.
“Both Professors are renowned experts in their fields and will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their role as Directors.
“After the tragedy of 15 March it was clear to all New Zealanders that we had to do everything in our power to stop this ever happening again. I believe this Centre will help us to be a more resilient, inclusive and safer Aotearoa New Zealand,” Jacinda Ardern said.
The establishment of the National Centre of Research Excellence is in response to recommendation 14 of the Royal Commission of Inquiry report into the terrorist attack on Christchurch masjidain. The Centre will be hosted by Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, supporting research at many organisations around the country.
“He Whenua Taurikura goes beyond the report’s recommendation by establishing a dedicated Centre in addition to directly supporting research,” Lead Coordination Minister for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Terrorist Attack on the Christchurch Mosques Andrew Little said.
“This Centre will play a key role in bringing together research organisations, civil society, and government to research how to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism, with a focus on understanding diversity and promoting social cohesion”.
“I look forward to seeing the Centre deepen understanding and enrich public discussion on preventing and countering violent extremism,” Andrew Little said.
The Prime Minister also announced the first round of the Centre’s He Whenua Taurikura Master’s Scholarships, which were awarded to 11 postgraduate students across Aotearoa New Zealand.
The scholarships support research carried out at a New Zealand university or tertiary institute that will contribute to developing and maintaining breadth, depth and diversity of expertise in preventing and countering violent extremism.
“I congratulate our first Master’s Scholarship recipients and look forward to seeing their work contribute to making New Zealand a safer, more inclusive country for all,” Jacinda Ardern said.
More information about the Centre and the scholarship recipients can be found on the DPMC website.
Directors information
Professor Joanna Kidman – Professor of Māori Education, Victoria University of Wellington (VUW). Joanna is a sociologist with affiliations to Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Raukawa. Joanna’s work spans indigenous sociology, Māori youth, higher education, decolonisation studies and comparative education.
Joanna has been appointed for a three-year term.
Distinguished Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley – Honorary Research Associate, Massey University. Paul was, until 2019, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Massey University. He retired from the university in April 2021. He has researched and written on social cohesion and diversity, racism, Pākehā identity, demographic change, the far right, white supremacism and antisemitism, immigration policy and settlement.
Paul has been appointed as an interim Director for up to a year, to work alongside Joanna in establishing the Centre.
Even Martyn Bradbury has his reservation at Kidmans appointment.
The first task for this research group should be the actions of this government supporting Ukranian neo-nazis and the connections with Azov rats. ChCh shooter had connections with Azov naxis and inspired by them. If public are deliberately misinformed by the main stream media, many in New Zealand will think that it is okay to strengthen ties with right wing extremists and other neo-nazis in Europe. This research group should also investigate the NZ main stream media publishing Ukranian propganda articles and fake videos without any verification. This has huge implications on seeding extremism in NZ.
India’s FM Jaishankar explains his country’s position here https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2R1z5_KBHw4
Some points:
“Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems”
“Just that i don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I am sitting on the fence, we are standing on our ground” .
Like India, we need to take an independent stand based on our interest and not be puppets. We could not establish much trade with Europe in the past. Remember, UK dumped NZ, and joined EEC creating economic chaos in NZ in the past. Europe has always been protective of their self interest. The same is with US/Canada. We do trade with Australia because we are neighbours, which is very natural.
We are not only going to gain little taking sides in the European conflict. We risk importing neo-nazis and other extreme ideologies, thanks to Jacinda. I doubt the new research funding will deal with any of the real issues.
Spot on.
The problem is we have been programmed to think a certain way not just for decades but for generations. This propaganda has caused mass psychosis and very few NZers are aware of truth and facts.
None of things that you are suggesting will happen as we are a puppet nation, here to make up the numbers to maintain America’s hegemony. No sooner had Russia launched a campaign in Ukraine to stop the slaughter of Russian speaking people in the Donbass region, Jabcinda was screaming “Slava Ukraini”. You could see how the strings were being pulled in Washington. And under whose authority has this woman given over $15 mil USD of tax payers money to Ukraine?? This is the same woman who couldn’t build any more wards in any of our hospitals- why would she, she knew all this Convid crap is a hoax. No questions, no journalistic investigation! This is the terrible state of our MSM. All bought to support the states agenda.
Look at the way NZ is currently antagonising China, our biggest trading partner. One of America’s Anzac lapdogs in South Pacific. It beggars belief, the repercussions of if China told us go take a hike. Can you imagine the crippling effect on our economy. Just look how Europe is suffering following America’s diktat. The cowards are absolutely powerless, rather than grow a pair, the politicians will destroy their own economies to serve US.
Jabcinda is a massive con artist. She needs to be removed from power before she sells more of NZ to the likes of Blackrock.
Brenden escaped police and 5eyes attention because they were focussed on islamic terrorists nhe past. This is due to the subconcious bias, similar to treating Maori suspicious of theft and violation of law in general. Jacinda’s support and open arm welcome to Ukaranian refugees is going to increase extremism in NZ to a level we have not seen before. Both labour and National MPs are attending the propganda meetings organised by the Ukranian interests. The consequence of this that subconscious bias is going to increase in the surveillance. Jacinda’s submissive foreign policy and selling NZ interest to Americans are to blame for any future incidents. This wont be researched for sure.
I don’t care how many glorified propaganda think tanks or EGGSPERT panels these sanctimonious liars cook up, I don’t care how much of the internet they try to ban and censor, I will steadfastly continue to ignore everything they say.
What another complete waste of time and waste of tax payer money.
Well it helps Jacinda to invoke censorship, divide and rule us. It also gets a brownie point in the woke coterie.
Fiat (made-up) jobs for people who are unemployable in the real world. NEVER had to close a business deal by deadline, NEVER had to build a widget or a house, NEVER had to lay a pipe, NEVER had a blister on a hand. USELESS GREEDY EATERS!!!! Call me, a ‘violent extremist’! Please!
Ah! Our very own “ministry of truth” straight out of George Orwells 1984.
Ms Kidman calls people ‘white’ and ‘settlers’ conveniently ignoring part of her own DNA and favouring another part of it it seems.
Who is the racist and who is dishing out hate speech?
Nothing I hate more than hypocrites. Will the ministry of truth people clamp down on people who lie? Gosh I hope so.
Furthermore these ‘academics’ should get out in the real world and get some proper experience away from the echo chamber of Wellington. They sure love to hate on people they don’t even realise they depend on for food, services and the very money from whence their income is derived. Disrespectful and self righteous is what it is.
The only people breeding hate in this country are the very ones who have charged themselves with policing it.