The Holocaust Centre of New Zealand is condemning Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere’s claim that the Government is “worse than Nazi Germany”, saying the comment is “harmful at worst” and radicalises political discourse.

Tamihere’s remark came as he appeared on The Bradbury Group’s politics podcast this week, hosted by media commentator Martyn Bradbury, which discussed Labour’s re-election chances in 2026.

Speaking alongside fellow guest Labour MP Arena Williams, Tamihere lamented rates of immunisation in Māori communities before criticising the Government’s “bully-boy mentality”, claiming academics suggesting alternative economic opinions were “beat up”.

“This is worse than Nazi Germany, this is a fascist regime that has to be removed,” Tamihere said.

Holocaust Centre deputy chairman Giacomo Lichtner viewed the remark as “political hyperbole” which was “unhelpful at best and harmful at worst”.

He noted a growing frequency of Nazi comparisons in political debate, which he feared would undermine legitimate allegations of fascism.

“If we were ever faced with a regime that actually was fascist, the call to alert would fall on deaf ears because it would be easy to dismiss.”

John Tamihere is Te Pāti Māori's president. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Lichtner, also an associate professor of history with Victoria University of Wellington, urged politicians to be cautious when using such language, warning it would shift attention away from other issues.

“My message would be to just always exercise great care with historical comparisons, with comparisons to Nazism in particular and with the potential for radicalisation of language of political discourse, which can have really, really dire consequences.”

Tamihere did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

The Holocaust Centre made similar comments when New Zealand First leader Winston Peters appeared to compare Labour’s use of co-governance to “race-based theory”, as seen in Nazi Germany, during a State of the Nation speech last year.

Peters later argued his comments were actually in response to claims by Te Pāti Māori concerning superior Māori genes.

Also during the podcast, Tamihere described National’s Māori Development and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka as a “disgrace” to Māori, citing the Government’s social housing policies.

Tamihere, who confirmed he would contest Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni’s Kelston seat in 2026, also described National minister Judith Collins as “ugly”.

Collins declined to comment. Potaka had yet to respond to Newstalk ZB’s request.

Adam Pearse is the deputy political editor and part of the NZ Herald’s press gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.