The Human Rights Commission's latest review on race relations shows Asian people - closely followed by Maori -reported the highest rates of discrimination in 2013.
Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy says the commission received 496 race-related complaints last year, a third of which centred on workplace racism or discrimination in seeking work.
Maori reported the second highest rate of discrimination, at 15.7 percent, just behind Asian people, at 15.9 percent.
The commission got 41 complaints after Danish politician Marie Krarup said a powhiri was uncivilised and a marae was grotesque.
The report says complaints are regularly received when Maori who wear moko are denied employment, access to services or entry to premises - and it highlights the incident last year when a woman with a taamoko was denied work with Air New Zealand.
