New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Adern has responded to claims by Thor director Taika Waititi that the country is "racist".
"Is there racism in New Zealand?" Ms Ardern said on radio program The AM Show on Tuesday.
"Undeniably. Is there racism in most countries? Undeniably. Can we do better? Yes. And I'm really proud of the efforts we make daily to do better."
Ms Ardern said ending racism in her country was something "we should all strive toward".
Her comments come after Mr Waititi told UK magazine Dazed and Confused: "I think New Zealand is the best place on the planet, but it's a racist place. People just flat out refuse to pronounce Maori names properly."
The Thor: Ragnarok filmmaker added that people in New Zealand's biggest city Auckland were "very patronising" for praising how well he has done "for one of his people."
Last year the Maori-Jewish filmmaker fronted a campaign for New Zealand human rights.
In a tongue-in-cheek clip filmed for the campaign, Mr Waititi said, "I'm calling on everyone of my fellow Kiwis to help support a very important cause: Racism ...needs your help to survive."
According to New Zealand's Human Right Commission, racism in the country is on the rise.
One in three complaints to the organisation are about racial discrimination, but it is believed that the majority of people who face humiliation or abuse do not complain.
