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Complaint about a senior officer making overtly racist and derogatory gender-related remarks

30 January 2025

The Authority oversaw a Police process into three separate complaints about an incident where a senior officer was overheard making offensive remarks within a shared office space.

The complainants alleged that the officer was discussing another person’s email signature block during a phone call. They used words to the effect of: “I don’t care, I don’t need to put that gender shit in my signature. I know my gender, I don’t buy into the gender trend, it is just a trend, and it will die out.”

The complainants further alleged that the officer then approached an empty desk saying: “It looks like free real estate here. We’ll go ahead and colonise this land, like we did with the Mâori [pronounced inappropriately].”

Police conducted an employment process for the officer which resulted in a private employment outcome.

The Authority is satisfied with how the Police conducted their process and with the outcome it reached.

IPCA: 24-22850

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