MIL Email Publisher (NZ)

All people have the right to a life of dignity and freedom from discrimination.

Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission says the Legislation (Definitions of Woman and Man) Amendment Bill falls short of the government’s human rights obligations, and risks harm to communities who continue to experience discrimination on the basis of their gender identity. The bill passed its first reading on Wednesday.

The NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990 and the Human Rights Act 1993 protect people in Aotearoa New Zealand, including transgender, non-binary, and intersex people, against unlawful discrimination. The Commission has long interpreted the prohibited ground of sex discrimination as being inclusive of gender identity, accepting complaints of discrimination from transgender people on this basis.

“There's no need to define ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in the law because the law already works well using the usual meaning of those words. Adding strict definitions can create confusion, leave people out, and cause problems without actually changing how the law works,” says Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner and Women’s Rights spokesperson, Professor Gail Pacheco.

“Consultation is needed with the communities that would be affected by the proposed legislation. Everyone has the right to be involved in decisions which affect their lives.”

Disability Rights Commissioner and Rainbow rights spokesperson, Prudence Walker adds: “This Bill does not advance human rights. I am concerned this legislation will trample on the mana of trans and intersex people, who already face well-documented discrimination in Aotearoa. It also attempts to completely erase non-binary people.”

“Tangata whenua have experienced firsthand what happens when language is weaponised against a people,” says Indigenous Rights Governance Partner, Dayle Takitimu. “There have always been diverse gender identities in Aotearoa, and this narrowing of peoples’ identities would be another colonial harm inflicted on those communities.”

Under international human rights standards, all people have the right to define their own gender and be free from harm based on their gender.

The Attorney-General wrote a 2006 opinion concluding that transgender people were covered by the Human Rights Act. More specifically, the opinion found that the prohibition of discrimination on the ground of sex in the Act includes prohibition on the ground of gender identity. The Commission has taken this position since 2005. Last year, the Ombudsman supported our interpretation of the Act, finding that it aligned with our statutory obligations and under international law.

We encourage trans people to make use of our resource Trans Rights are Human Rights. More data about trans and non-binary people’s experiences can be found in the Counting Ourselves Health Survey.

While Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission can’t make findings or decide if the law has been breached, we can help by providing information and support and in some cases can offer a dispute resolution process for complaints.

If someone believes they have experienced unlawful discrimination, they can make a complaint via our website ( https://tikatangata.org.nz/resources-and-support/make-a-complaint ) or by contacting us on 0800 496 877 or infoline@tikatangata.org.nz.

A te reo Māori expert who lights up the ‘gram with discussions of humour and idioms in te reo will join Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington as their first Professor of te reo Māori in late July.

Professor Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea me Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is an esteemed academic, and a wellknown advocate for the revitalisation of te reo Māori. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, reflecting his lifelong commitment to advancing Māori language and education throughout Aotearoa.

“We’re thrilled to have Hona join us at Te Kawa a Māui as our first Professor of te reo Māori. We have a distinguished history of te reo Māori teaching, advocacy and innovation and Hona’s appointment will help us continue that focus,” says Mike Ross, Head of School, Te Kawa a Māui.  

He joins Te Kawa a Māūi from Massey University, where he was an Associate Professor, and taught into Te Aho Paerewa—Postgraduated Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Māori medium). He has a PhD in Applied Linguistics, a Masters of Māori Language Excellence, and a MA in Māori Studies, and has a notable record of teaching, research, and curriculum development.

As a prolific commentator on the quirks of te reo Māori, Hona is a regular on social media channels for Generation Reo, and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. As well as having authored several books, he has also developed board games to aid with the learning of te reo.

Professor Black’s publications include several Māori language learning books, including He iti te kupu: Māori metaphors and similes and Ngā hapa reo: Māori language errors. In September, he will release his book He kete kīwaha: A practical guide to Māori idioms.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to be joining Te Herenga Waka and Te Kawa a Māui. I’m especially mindful of the many people who have carried and nurtured te reo Māori here over the years, and it’s an honour to become part of that story.”

In his new role, Professor Black will lead Te Kawa a Māui’s efforts to foster academic excellence, enhance research in Māori language, and strengthen community engagement. His appointment marks a significant step in supporting the normalisation and intergenerational transmittion of te reo Māori across academic, whānau, and public domains.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Māori & Kaitiakitanga Professor Rawinia Higgins says, “The appointment of Professor Hona Black is timely as he will help us review the direction of our te reo Māori programmes. I am looking forward to his leadership and continued contributions to Māori language revitalisation and scholarship here at Te Herenga Waka.”

_________________________________________________________

He kaiwhakahau reo ka eke hei Ahorangi tuahi mō te reo Māori ki Te Herenga Waka

He mātanga reo e tiaho ai te māramatanga ki runga i te paeāhua i ngā kōrero e kikī ana i te manawa reka me te kīwaha. He mātanga reo ka whītiki mai ki Te Herenga Waka hei Ahorangi tuatahi mō te reo Māori hei te Hūrae e tū mai nei.

Nō Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Whakatōhea me Ngāti Tūwharetoa a Ahorangi Hona Black. He tautōhito mātauranga a Hona e mōhio whānuitia ana mō tana ngākau nui ki te whakarauora i te reo Māori. He puna mātaranga, he pukenga wai ka kawea mai e ia ki tēnei tūranga, inā rā, ngā mahi katoa e whakaatu ana i te ariā o tana noho pūmau ki te kōkiri i te reo Māori me ngā mahi ako ki roto o Aotearoa.

E ai ki te Tumuaki ō Te Kawa a Māui a Mike Ross, “E poho kereru ana mātou kua piri mai a Hona ki Te Kawa a Māui hei Ahorangi tuatahi mō te reo Māori. Kua roa mātou e ahu atu ana ki te ao whakamārohirohi i reo mā roto mai i te ako, i te whakatairanga, me te whakamātau hoki i te ngākau auaha. Nā te whakarite i a Hona ki taua tūranga, ka māro ake taua whāina.”

Ka whakawhiti mai a Hona ki Te Kawa a Māui i Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa te wāhi i noho ai ia hei Ahonuku. I whakapau kaha ia ki te whakaako i Te Aho Paerewa. I riro mai i a Hona tana tohu kairangi mō te wete reo me tana tohu paerua mō te wete reo me te mātauranga Māori, otirā, e mōhitia ana tōna toa ki te ako, rangahau me te whakawhanake marau.

He manawa piharau a Hona ki te whakatakoto whakaaro mō ngā āhuatanga o te reo. He kanohi kitea a Hona i runga i te pae pāpāho pāpori, arā, mō Generation Reo me te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. I tua atu i ngā pukapuka kua oti nei i a ia te tuhi, i whai wāhi hoki ia ki te whakawhanake i ētahi papa kēmu hei ako i te reo.

He maha ngā pukapuka kua oti nei i a Ahorangi Hona Black te tuhi mō te taha ki te ako i te reo. E whai ake nei ko ētahi o āna mahi kua tāngia, arā, He iti te kupu: Māori metaphors and similies me Ngā hapa reo: Māori language errors. Hei te Hepetema ka whakarewatia tana pukapuka – He kete kīwaha: A practical guide to Māori idioms.

E ai ki a Hona, “Nōku te waimarie ki te hono atu ki Te Herenga Waka me Te Kawa a Māui. E tino ngākau whakaute ana ahau ki ngā tāngata o Te Kawa a Māui nā rātou te reo Māori i romiromi i roto i ngā tau, nōku te hōnore ki te whai wāhi atu ki ngā kōrero e iri ana ki ngā pakitara o te whare.

I tōna tūranga hou, mā Ahorangi Black e kōkiri i ngā mahi a Te Kawa a Māui ki te whakatairanga i ngā mahi e eke ai te tiketiketanga o te mātauranga me ngā mahi rangahau mō te reo Māori, me te whakamāro i te mahi ngātahi me te hapori. He tohu tēnei whakawhiwhinga i te taunakitanga i te ora o te reo me te ako i te reo ki ngā rēanga i roto i te horopaki o te ao mātauranga, whānau me ngā wāhi tūmatanui.

E ai ki te Tumu Ahurei Māori ki a Ahorangi Rawinia Higgins, “ He mea nui te whakarewatanga o Ahorangi Hona Black ki tēnei tūranga, inā rā, kia whai wāhi mai ia ki te taki haere i ngā hōtaka reo Māori. E ngākau nui ana ahau i ōna pukenga ki te ārahi kaupapa me ngā mahi ka tāpaetia e ia ki te whakarauora i te reo me te whakatairanga ake i te kounga o te mātauranga ki Te Herenga Waka.”

As New Zealanders grapple with the cost of everyday essentials, from the supermarket checkout to power bills and bank fees, pressure is growing to address weak competition in critical sectors.

Rebalancing Markets: Competition, power, and a fair economy, hosted by Business School research centreJuncture: Dialogues on Inclusive Capitalism, will see experts in regulation, energy, consumer behaviour, law and economics examine why competition remains weak and what could help rebalance the system.

The discussion comes as the Commerce Commission’s latest report on the state of competition in New Zealand suggests market conditions favour larger established businesses, making it harder for smaller and newer firms to displace these dominant players. Electricity, gas, water, and waste services, and financial and insurance services were identified as the areas most lacking competitive pressure.

The Commission’s Deputy Chief Executive Raj Krishnan is bringing insights from the competition and consumer watchdog to the panel discussion.

Another panellist, Business School alumnus Tex Edwards, the founder of independent public policy and research group Monopoly Watch, and telecommunications company 2degrees, says the Commerce Commission has clearly identified the country’s competition problems.

“Parliament must now arm the Commerce Commission with the powers, and protect it from lobbyists, so the evidence can be translated into lower prices, more choices, and a fairer economy.”

Dr Eric Crampton, chief economist at the New Zealand Initiative and adjunct senior fellow at the University of Canterbury, says too often, governments create the market power they later condemn.
 
“District plans often have rules banning new supermarkets in particular locations, and consenting processes that force entrants to prove they will not compete with established businesses,” he says.

“When markets are open, underperformance by established players becomes an opportunity for entrants and better service for consumers. When entry is blocked by law, regulation, planning, licensing or procurement, market power becomes entrenched.”

Dr John Land, senior barrister at Bankside Chambers and teaching fellow at Auckland Law School, says competition could be improved through increased Commerce Commission powers and by removing barriers to entry and expansion. He says some areas of the competition framework, however, may go too far, particularly around franchise networks and intellectual property rights, with possible impacts on innovation and pro-competitive business conduct.

Professor Jodi Gardner (Auckland Law School) researches how the law responds to issues such as inequality, vulnerability, poverty, and financial exclusion. She will bring a consumer rights perspective to the panel, which will also explore how technology reshapes markets.

Jessica Venning-Bryan, CEO and co-founder of AI-driven energy forecasting and pricing platform Factor, brings energy industry insights and says technology is constantly changing how households participate in the energy system.  

“When households become producers, not just consumers of energy, they have economic leverage. As we reach a critical mass of empowered households, the market will respond with better products and services to attract these prosumers.”

The discussion is being facilitated by Dr Drew Franklin, senior lecturer in marketing and associate director at Juncture. Franklin says when people feel essential markets are stacked against them, trust in the whole economic system begins to weaken.

“Markets are one of the most powerful tools we have for coordinating economic life, but they don’t work well in isolation. They depend on rules that encourage openness, innovation and accountability.”

The Disability Support Services Bill threatens to undermine the rights of disabled people, tangata whaikaha, their families and whānau, and worsen the lives of families who are already struggling, says Te Kahui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission.

The Commission is calling for a fairer, rights-based approach to disability support, as the Disability Support Services Bill progresses.  

The bill, introduced this week, aims to clarify that the Crown is not the employer of family carers, following a Supreme Court ruling (Fleming v Attorney-General) which held that two parents caring for their disabled children should be considered government employees.

The bill would remove the right of family carers to seek remedies (such as additional wages or compensation) through the Employment Relations Authority.

“Restricting the ability of disabled people and their families to seek justice and advocate for their rights is very concerning. Carers, including family members, need to be fairly paid as workers.” says Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker. “Legislating to overrule Supreme Court decisions is not a just or fair way for government to work.”

“In addition, the bill’s aim to define disability support as a ‘contribution’ from the Government is likely to worsen the lives of families already struggling with financial hardship,” says Walker. “There is clear evidence showing disabled families are more likely to face poverty.”

The bill's provisions could be seen as contradicting New Zealand's obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which emphasises the importance of autonomy, independence, and equality for disabled individuals.  

“We echo the concerns of disabled people and their families about the lack of consultation before the bill was introduced, when the well-being and rights of disabled people are at stake,” says Walker. “A fairer and supportive rights-based approach is essential given the critical role family carers play in supporting disabled family members to live and participate in their communities.”

The bill’s introduction follows the recent announcement that Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities has dropped its annual targets for creating accessible homes, that financial subsidies for Total Mobility have been reduced, and the Lottery Grants Board will no longer fund Lottery Individuals with Disabilities, which provided support for assistance dogs, communication equipment, vehicles, vehicle modifications, scooters and other mobility equipment.

Walker stresses the importance of upholding the rights of disabled people, as enshrined in the Human Rights Act 1993 and the NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990.

“At the moment, disabled people’s rights, autonomy and ability to pursue a good life are being reduced instead of progressively improved – especially the right to seek redress.”

“It's crucial that any legislation respects and promotes these rights. The right to autonomy and the ability for disabled people to pursue a good life must be supported.”