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And so it is today -- especially since there's not a lot of anything else happening in the tech world, the USA being closed for a public holiday etc.

I'm not going to write about technology today, although this topic is perhaps more indication that, just like our telecoms sector, there are parts of this country that are more suited to "banana republic" status than "first-world".

No, I'm talking about the actions of a Maori cultural performer who head-butted a Dutch tourist, and the utter failure of our legal system to address this assault in a sensible way.

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The NZ Herald has carried a couple of pieces on the story but for those who are too busy to read all that verbage, the basics are:

Richard Minarapa Mitai-Ngatai, during his performance at the Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua head-butted a Dutch tourist who (depending on who you listen to) either smiled, smirked or laughed during a "sacred" ceremony. The tourist suffered a broken nose and severe facial bruising as a result of the attack.

The police say that the tourist wasn't so much smiling as expressing a nervous grin and, having seen just how intimidating the challenge can be, I for one can understand his nervousness.

Now if you or I had walked up to the Prime Minister or any other person of importance in New Zealand and broken their nose with a head-but or punch, what kind of punishment do you think we'd have received?

Almost certainly we'd have been locked up don't you think?

Well it seems that tourists, despite their immense value to the country as a key part of an industry that helps enormously to even up our balance of payments ledger, are not as important as dignitaries.

No, for his outrageous behaviour, this cultural performer got nothing more than 150 hours of community service.

Now I hate criticising judgments handed out by the courts, particularly when the only information to hand is that which the media has chosen to deliver -- since we know that mainstream media sometimes have their own agendas. However, in this case I can think of no mitigating circumstances for such lenient treatment.

One report I heard described the judge as criticising the offender's momentary lapse in judgement -- well excuse me but surely such a lapse would at least require him to attend an anger-management course so as to better control his temper?

What about some restitution for the medical costs, pain and suffering the tourist had to endure?

The catalyst for this incident was clearly a lack of cultural tolerance on the part of the offender and a lack of understanding on the part of the Dutch tourist. Neither is any justification for a physical assault.

Now, the comments that follow will almost certainly see some accusing me of Maori-bashing but I"m going to say them anyway...

Do you really think that if the offender had been a non-maori that we'd have seen such a lenient approach by the courts? If you or I had smacked this Dutch guy in the nose because he'd given us the fingers while walking down the street (an act just as offensive as smiling during the challenge ceremony) -- do you think we'd have been let off with such a wimpy sentence?

Hell no.

Here's my thought for today (which applies to Telecom, Maori activists and judges -- we are now living in the 21st century. If we don't act like we're living in 2006 then we will forever be a prisoner of our outdated beliefs, practices and technologies.

Okay readers, I've had my say and I've probably got a few of you seething with anger -- so go have your say in the forums :-)

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