‘Butter chicken’ remark on India-New Zealand deal sparks row; leaders term it racist, offensive

Comments by New Zealand First deputy Shane Jones on the proposed India free trade agreement have triggered a political row, with National and ACT leaders criticising his “butter chicken tsunami” remark as offensive and inappropriate.

Jones made the comment while opposing the agreement, using the phrase to describe potential outcomes of closer trade ties with India, according to a report by RNZ.

National MP calls remarks racist

National MP Carlos Cheung said the comments were racist and had upset members of the Indian and migrant communities he represents.


“Any racist comment is unacceptable, especially myself as a migrant ... I feel that more than the others,” he said, as quoted by RNZ News.

“I feel that it is racist, this is why we want to stand by my Indian community ... my migrant community.”

ACT labels remarks ‘lame dad jokes’

ACT leader David Seymour criticised the tone, calling the remarks “really lame dad jokes”.

“He's got to improve his form, because if we have six months of this in the election, it's going to get very groany,” he said.

Seymour added that immigration is a legitimate issue for debate, but ridiculing people based on food choices does not add value.

Debate widens across parties

ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar said the phrase was used to create fear and draw attention, while highlighting the role of migrants in daily life.

Without them, she said, “it will not only be ... butter chicken missing from peoples' dining tables, there will be no hāngi at community events, there will be no bacon and eggs for breakfast.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the comments were unacceptable but did not call them racist.

“What I actually want to see is a tsunami of kiwifruit going to India,” he said, RNZ reported.

Deputy Prime Minister Nicola Willis said many would view the remarks as racist and described them as offensive.

“I found them derogatory, I found them offensive,” she said.
“I think it is wrong to use that kind of a phrase to describe a group of people in New Zealand who are our citizens, who are our residents, who are our workers, and I completely disagree with that approach, and I've made that clear to Mr Jones.”

Jones earlier said he uses strong language to get attention in debates but indicated he would tone it down after concerns raised by colleagues.