95bFM Should Candice Owens be allowed in Aotearoa?
17 September, 2024
Interview by Joel Armstrong, adapted by Oto Sequeira
Co-founder of Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation, Justine Sachs, says that planned talks by far-right commentator Candace Owens in Tāmaki Makaurau could pose a threat to Aotearoa’s Jewish community and other marginalised groups.
In early August, American far-right commentator, Candace Owens, announced plans for a speaking tour in Australia, which would include a talk in Auckland, New Zealand.
Throughout Owens’ career as a right-wing commentator, she has been widely condemned for comments she has made about a variety of marginalised communities, which include Jewish people.
Owens has made claims that the well-documented human experiments on prisoners in Auschwitz concentration camp during World War two by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele was “bizarre propaganda,” and the Holocaust was “an ethnic cleansing that almost took place”.
Activists in both Australia and Aotearoa have called for their collective governments to step in and deny Owens’ entry.
In a written statement sent to Newsroom, a spokesperson from Immigration New Zealand says if Owens wanted to hold a paid talk here, she would need to obtain a work visa.
The spokesperson further said that to obtain a working visa, Owens would need to pass specific requirements, including a good character assessment. This would look into elements such as convictions, her deportation history, if she would pose a risk to Aotearoa’s public interest, or public order.
The spokesperson said Immigration New Zealand is yet to receive a visa application from Owens.
Co-founder of Dayenu: New Zealand Jews Against Occupation, Justine Sachs, told 95bFM’s The Wire, that the organisation are calling for Owens to be denied entry into the country.
“[Dayenu] are explicitly calling for her visa to be denied on the basis that, in 2004, Holocaust denier, David Irving, was also denied entry to Aotearoa. We’re also hoping the Australian government denies her entry.”
“If the New Zealand government refuses to act, we hope that she will not come to Aotearoa if she is denied entry to Australia.”
Sachs compared the planned talks by Owens to that of anti-transgender personality, Posie Parker, last year.
“[Posie Parker] similarly came to Aotearoa, I would categorise, with the intent of propagating hate against trans and queer people.”
She believes that, like with Posie Parker’s visit, prejudice against multiple vulnerable communities will increase if Owens is allowed into the country.
“I don’t want just to single out Jewish people, because Candace Owens has also attacked migrants and LGBTQIA+ people too. There’s a risk to a lot of communities in Aotearoa and on that basis, she needs to be denied a visa."
Sachs says any possibility of Owens being granted a visa and holding her talks would be a poor reflection of the New Zealand government’s commitment to promoting racial harmony and safeguarding the interests of the public.
“If the government [doesn’t deny her entry] that would be backsliding our commitment to racial harmony and the human rights act itself.”
“This is someone who is specifically coming to incite racial disharmony and engage in hate speech. Previously we’ve had a clear line there that that is unacceptable, and I’d hope that’s still something the New Zealand government considers — unacceptable.”
