Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan today welcomed the decision to merge the Human Rights Commission and the Race Relations Office into a new organisation.

Noonan’s comments were made in response to decisions announced today by Associate Minister of Justice, Margaret Wilson.

“The proposed changes will strengthen our capacity in the area of race relations and right across the human rights spectrum, enhancing the impact that we can have on human rights issues in New Zealand,” said Noonan.

The new Human Rights Commission will keep the same name, will include a new post of Race Relations Commissioner, and will take up the tasks previously performed by the Race Relations Conciliator.

Noonan said the Government has indicated that the Bill of Rights Act is to be used as the anti-discrimination standard for the government - except in employment law and related areas. The Human Rights Act will continue to apply in the private and community sectors.

“I know that Commissioners and the Race Relations Conciliator Gregory Fortuin are pleased to see the Government making further efforts to ensure greater compliance with human rights standards.”

“We are looking forward to being involved in creating the detail of these changes and to ensuring that the public’s views are heard,” she said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>