Auckland Council has pulled signage from public pools in response to a backlash over perceived racism.

A sign, which was part of a wider campaign to stop 'code browns' in public pools, shows a small Caucasian child warning a Maori child called Hemi to go to the bathroom before swimming.

Labour MP Tamati Coffey told Newshub he came across an image of one of the signs and it "didn't sit right".

"My gut feeling was - did it have to be the little brown boy?"

He said the Council could've done better to create a sign that had the same meaning but in a different context.

Auckland Council said they have pulled the sign in question from various Auckland locations.