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Pollies: Was Shane Jones' 'butter chicken tsunami' comment racist?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 22 Apr 2026, 9:36am
Photo / Mark Mitchell
Photo / Mark Mitchell

Pollies: Was Shane Jones' 'butter chicken tsunami' comment racist?

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Wed, 22 Apr 2026, 9:36am

Politicians are unimpressed with Shane Jones’ suggestion the India Free Trade Agreement would lead to a "butter chicken tsunami" of Indian migrants coming to New Zealand. 

Christopher Luxon says the New Zealand First deputy leader's comments were "alarmist" and "scaremongering". 

Labour's Ginny Andersen told Mike Hosking the Prime Minister should go further and call the comments out as racist. 

National's Mark Mitchell says Jones does have a unique way of communicating, but he should clearly choose his words more carefully. 

He told Hosking Jones got this one wrong, and needs to be more careful in the future. 

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