Domain names considered racist toward Maori can not be removed by the body that manages them unless they are ordered to by a court.

One domain name, unemployed.maori.nz, links straight to the Work and Income New Zealand website.

Another, called kai.maori.nz, redirects to the KFC website.

Auckland University of Technology lecturer Steve Elders it was part of a growing trend of "online Maori bashing".

The Domain Names Commission (DNC) should de-register them, he told Radio New Zealand.

But the commission can not take down domain names unless a court orders the body to, its communications adviser Patrick Watson told Fairfax Media.

"It's not in the Domain Name Commission's mandate to investigate anything to do with content, so we don't comment on any material published online," he said.

"With these sorts of issues, people who have concerns about the actual content, they have to follow alternative routes with lawyers or the Commerce Commission, or the Human Rights Commission."

The commission had an open registration process and names were taken on a "first-come, first-served" basis.

But the commission received a court order, it would make sure the order was complied with.

New Plymouth's Brett Healy, the registrar of the domain unemployed.maori.nz, said offence was "taken, not given", and he had not publicised the domain in any way.

"Claims like Mr Elders seem to be over-dramatic, the other domains referenced don't appear to have page ranks on Google or have any sites dedicated to directing users to go there," he said.

"They also don't host/facilitate any hate speech or have affiliations with such groups promoting it."

The other domain name was registered by someone who gave an email address which was later deleted, and a fake phone number.

Watson said registrants had to submit accurate information, and if it was discovered the information was inaccurate, the domain name would be cancelled.