Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson’s ‘white cis men’ comments at a rally on the weekend were not ‘appropriate’ but context was important.

On Saturday, Davidson, who is also Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, was hit by a motorcyclist at a trans rights rally in Auckland. The rally was a counter-protest to a speaking event by British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull - also known as “Posie Parker”.

Shortly after the motorcycle incident, Davidson was confronted on camera and asked about Keen-Minshull being “violently assaulted”, after having tomato juice poured over her.

In her response, Davidson said: “I know what causes violence in this world and it’s white cis men.

 “It is white cis men who cause violence in the world.”

“Cis” is short for cisgender, which describes people whose sex at birth aligns with their gender identity. It is the opposite of transgender.

On Davidson’s comments, Hipkins said it was important to consider the context - she had been hit by a motorcycle and was being “harassed” by protesters.

Hipkins said it wasn’t the words he would use, however.

 “The right to free speech does not extend to physical violence,” Hipkins said when asked whether he endorsed the actions at Posie Parker’s protest in Auckland on Saturday.

“I’ll never support people who resort to violence.”

He accepted the clarification Davidson had issued. The pair hadn’t spoken in person, but he did text her when he heard she was in the hospital.

He had spoken with Green Party co-leader James Shaw but it was before Davidson’s comments had come to light.

“The words that she chose were not the message she was trying to convey.”

Hipkins’ office had been in contact with Davidson since her comments were publicised.

“I certainly don’t think it was appropriate,” Hipkins said of Davidson’s statement, but said there should be some leeway given she’d been hit by a motorcycle.

Hipkins said Cabinet ministers were not told not to go to Saturday’s protest. He wasn’t aware if any had attended.

The police were currently investigating the incident involving Davidson being struck by a motorcycle and had been given videos to examine, Hipkins said.

New child poverty measure announced

Hipkins fronted his weekly post-Cabinet press conference ahead of April 1, when increases to benefits, superannuation, and the minimum wage go ahead.

The Government today introduced a law change that will see more child support passed onto solo parents rather than used to offset their benefits.

About 1.4 million New Zealanders will have more money in their pockets in the coming weeks, including community nurses whose pay bump comes into force this week, Hipkins said.

From June 2017 to June 2022 the median wage had increased by nearly a quarter, 23.8 per cent, which means pensioners are receiving more money as superannuation was largely tied to the median wage.

Childcare subsidies also come into force in April, as announced by the Government under former PM Jacinda Ardern.

Hipkins acknowledged the measures won’t fix the problem but will assist people struggling with the cost of living crisis.

“Our focus is clearly on the issues that matter.”

Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni said the change to child support would benefit more than 41,000 sole parents by a median of $20 a week.

It is estimated to help lift 14,000 children out of poverty.

The bill will see child support collected by Inland Revenue and passed directly onto parents on a sole parent rate of main benefit from July 1, 2023.

Currently, child support payments are collected and used to offset the cost of the benefit paid to these parents.

It was a change recommended by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group in 2019, which said “money intended for children should not be withheld by the Government”.

“These changes will make the system less discriminatory, while also giving parents on a sole parent rate of main benefit a bit extra to help with the cost of raising their children,” Sepuloni said.

“We know that right now, every little bit counts.”

Parties react to Davidson comments

Act Party leader David Seymour said Davidson should be fired for her comments if she could not provide evidence behind them.

New Zealand First leader and former MP Winston Peters called for Davidson to resign, calling her comments “offensive, racist, and sexist”.

Davidson has since walked back her comments, saying she was “still in shock” after the incident and was not as clear as she should have been.

“Violence is unacceptable in any community,” she said.

“I should have made clear in my comments that violence happens in every community. My intention was to affirm that trans people are deserving of support and to keep the focus on the fact that men are the main perpetrators of violence.”

Hipkins said he was confident the right decision was made to allow Posie Parker to enter the country, despite the havoc that was caused.

He didn’t review the file himself so wasn’t sure whether she came close to being denied entry.

Hipkins said globally there was a “greater degree of polarisation” in some parts of the community but hoped the upcoming election would be free and fair and campaigns could be conducted openly.

He said he was open to conversations with political parties about how to keep safe during campaigning.

 “I think we need to go into the campaign with eyes wide open,” Hipkins said about the risks posed by a more polarised society.

“Politicians should take that on board,” he said, while indicating his general support for cross-party conversations about campaign safety.

Women’s Refuge chief executive Ang Jury told the Herald it was “not useful” to look at violence causes singularly in terms of race.

Jury said there was however “little disagreement” about the role the patriarchy, heteronormativity and colonisation all play - all related to “cis white males”.

“There does need to be a distinction between cause and perpetrators. There are really broad structural things that contribute to violence, and then there are those people impacted by those systems who use violence.”

Jury said she was confident in the minister and that she was “doing pretty well” in her portfolio, including getting the 25-year strategy Te Aorerekura under way.

Hipkins acknowledged a fundraising event he was hosting tonight and when asked about Act’s recent donations, Hipkins said it was fine if wealthy people felt they were best-served by the Act Party.

He dismissed the suggestion there was any issue with Labour’s coffers.

On a potential meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, Hipkins said face-to-face meetings were also beneficial but said the Government was working through balancing his domestic workload, notably the election.