The treatment of a terminally ill prisoner by the Parole Board was an example of institutional racism, the Māori Party says.
Vicki Letele Photo: Supplied
The Parole Board declined Letele's initial request to be freed from her sentence for fraud because of her stomach cancer, but reversed that decision on Thursday after a vocal campaign by her family and supporters.
Letele, who was serving a three-year jail term, was allowed to return home on compassionate grounds on Thursday.
Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox said there was prejudice against Ms Letele because she was Māori.
Ms Fox said a Pākehā woman convicted of fraud was recently excused from a prison sentence because she had two young children.
"Yes, people need to have a punishment that fits the crime, but why were we not using the same ruler?" she said.
"Because if we were using the same ruler there would not be a disparity between Māori and non-Māori, Pasifika and non-Pasifika."
She said institutions and the public needed to acknowledge unconscious bias, treat prisoners as people, and provide better healthcare options.
