The Human Rights Foundation promotes and defends human rights in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad, through research-based education and advocacy.
Land alienation and confiscation from King Country Māori caused “serious damage” to the mana of iwi with impacts still felt today, the Waitangi Tribunal reports. The tribunal has released the third part of Te Mana Whatu Ahuru: Report on Te Rohe Pōtae Claims, over alleged Crown breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. The claim covered
Concerns have been raised about a “power imbalance” between government agencies and community groups involved in a top-level inquiry into the Christchurch mosque shootings. The Islamic Women’s Council is meeting with the Royal Commission to discuss what it deems a lack of support through the process. The commission began hearing evidence on May 13 – including from government departments and
Green Party co-leader James Shaw objects to the Government’s decision to put $25 million into stopping boat people reaching New Zealand. Budget 2019, unveiled today, includes $23.6 million in operating costs as well as $1.4 million in capital expenditure to boost New Zealand’s capability to stop boat people. Budget documents show that it is for
A human rights lawyer says the government has continuously let the Muslim community down and she doesn’t see that changing even with the Royal Commission into the mosque shootings. A public discussion in Auckland’s suburb of Ōtara yesterday saw academics, a lawyer and representatives of the Muslim community come together to discuss security issues after
A recent Dominion Post column attacked British-born Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt as not ‘one of us’. It’s a phrase we should all feel uncomfortable with, writes Hunt, wherever we come from. Not long after I took up office as Chief Human Rights Commissioner, a newspaper columnist complained that I am not “one of
The Wellington Howard League’s “Let Prisoners Vote” petition, presented to Parliament by Wellington Central MP, the Hon. Grant Robertson, will be tabled in the House on Tuesday 21 May before question time. The over two thousand people who have signed the petition are asking Parliament to repeal section 80(1)(d) of the Electoral Act 1993 to
Journalist Nicky Hager has launched a scathing attack on the Defence Force during a presentation to the Operation Burnham Inquiry, accusing it of not telling the full truth about its operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Inquiry, which is investigating allegations that six civilians were killed in Afghanistan during a New Zealand-led raid in 2010,
Reportedly most (and possibly all) of the Royal Commission investigation into the Christchurch mosque shootings will be closed to the general public and to the media. Oh sure, come delivery date in December there will be some kind of “public-facing” document containing conclusions and rationales, but there will have been no interim way of scrutinizing the
Ministers and government agencies have ignored the Ombudsman’s plea for signed agreements outlawing political meddling in Official Information Act (OIA) responses. Two years after the Ombudsman urged agencies to agree terms to avoid “perceptions of impropriety”, none of the 30 departments surveyed have done so. Two have agreements in the pipelines. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier made the call
A group of mosque attack victims are angry Victim Support did not ask them how they wanted the millions of dollars it collected on their behalf to be distributed. Christchurch lawyer Andrew Oh is working pro bono to help the group of about 64 bereaved, seriously injured or traumatised victims get their voices heard. Read more at Stuff
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