In brief:
- Political abuse is often framed by identity, but policy frustration may play a bigger role.
- Both male and female politicians face abuse, especially when their decisions are unpopular.
- COVID policies intensified public anger, with 60% of MPs reporting abuse related to the pandemic.
- Identity-based harassment exists, but focusing solely on it risks ignoring policy-driven discontent.
- Politicians who engage with critics and take accountability may restore public trust.
Attacks on identity often associated with unpopular policies
Politicians should recognise that rising levels of political abuse are often framed as being driven by gender or race, but this perspective may misrepresent the issue. In today’s climate, if abuse is gendered or racial, it might be as equally directed towards white males as it is towards anyone else.
In 2009, former Prime Minister John Key was physically assaulted by a radical activist at Waitangi. Recently, New Plymouth councillor Murray Chong reported that his vehicle was shot at with a slug gun, and he regularly endures obscenities shouted at him over his opposition to Māori wards.
Identity-based harassment of women and minorities cannot be entirely dismissed, but it also may not be the real reason for the abuse. Many attacks are driven by policy-related discontent, especially when politicians make unpopular decisions.
The impact of policy on rising abuse
A government survey of 54 MPs revealed that around 7 or 8 of 34 women MPs (22%)—but none of the men—had received threats of sexual violence. According to 1News, this disparity was framed as evidence of “a gender disparity so profound it speaks directly and explicitly of a violent misogyny.”
The same survey found that while “Almost all forms of harassment had increased significantly since 2014” nearly 60% of MPs reported abuse specifically related to COVID policies, such as lockdowns and vaccine mandates. This suggests that frustration with policy, not identity, was driving much of the reported harassment.
The COVID response as a turning point
The previous government’s pandemic response was a major turning point, creating widespread public anger. New Zealand’s stringent lockdown measures left many feeling restricted and powerless.
While the abuse directed at politicians during the pandemic is unacceptable, it reflects a broader frustration over policies seen as muzzling personal freedoms. It’s not surprising, then, that those in positions of authority became lightning rods for this anger—though it was expressed in crude and intolerable ways.
Abuse isn’t always gendered—it’s about leadership
Politicians of all stripes may leverage threats and abuse against them to shy away from facing the public over unpopular decisions. ACT leader David Seymour told The Platform’s Sean Plunkett that he avoided the Wellington anti-COVID mandate protests due to threats of being kidnapped. However, Plunkett dismissed these threats as not credible and saw Seymour’s explanation as an attempt to deflect criticism, implying he was being evasive by refusing to properly engage with protesters.
Others, like Golriz Ghahraman and Tory Whanau, have been quick to highlight the abuse they face as women and minorities. Critics argue, however, that such claims distract from legitimate criticisms of their leadership and personal decisions.
Ultimately, politicians who avoid accountability for their policies are often seen as evasive, regardless of the identity-based abuse they face.
Growing public frustration
Growing public frustration can manifest in increased abuse. Some of the public can be foul-mouthed, sexist, and crude—but instead of addressing the root causes of this behaviour, many politicians prefer to focus on the insults themselves.
As Nicola Willis said, the best response to online trolls is sometimes to simply tell them to “stuff off” and continue doing the work they were elected to do.
Politicians who actively engage with their critics and take responsibility for the outcomes of their policies, without pandering to extremists, may find more success in rebuilding public trust.
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