Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi has defended deleted racist comments published on the party’s website.

In an interview with Jack Tame from TVNZ, he was asked whether comments published on the party’s sports policy were racist.

“It’s a known fact that the Maori genetic makeup is stronger than others. Is that racist?” Tame asked.

“Well, it’s stronger in me, and I’ve got a whole lot of genetics in me,” Waititi responded.

Tame pressed again, “It was on your website. Is that racist?”

Waititi said, “Why? How can it be racist when you’re trying to empower people that are climbing out from the bottom of the bonnet of colonial violence for the last 193 years? How is that racist?”

Tame said, “I should say that the statement has been removed. It is a known fact that the Maori genetic makeup is stronger than others. It was on your sports policy on your website. When you think about the language you’ve just criticised and you compare that with the language on your own website, can you acknowledge that perhaps your language has contributed to those tensions?”

Waititi then questioned, “How is that statement being imposed on anybody else?”

“It’s open to everyone when you publish it on the website,” Tame said.

“Te Pāti Māori directly talks to our people. And so we’re trying to rebuild our people, as I said, after years of colonial violence on our people. So why can’t we call ourselves magic? Why can’t we call ourselves proud? Why can’t we believe in ourselves? And why can’t we say to our people that your genetics is something you can be proud of?” Waititi said.”