The new chief human rights commissioner, Dr Stephen Rainbow, is defending himself against accusations of transphobia and says his views about the Israel-Gaza war won’t be an issue.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith appointed Rainbow as head of the Human Rights Commission on Friday. He also announced new commissioners of race relations and equal employment opportunities.
But the Green Party and others have criticised Rainbow’s appointment, given his previous comments about a “trans agenda” and his more recent support of Israel’s war in Gaza.
Rainbow entered politics as a Green Party councillor on Wellington City Council in the 1980s and has a PhD in political science. In the 2000s, he campaigned for same sex marriage reform, worked for the rainbow-support charity OUTLine and was on the board of the NZ Aids Foundation.
But comments made in 2021, urging other gay and queer Aucklanders to think twice before signing a petition to ban “conversion therapy”, attracted criticism. He said the opposition to conversion therapy had been hijacked by “the trans agenda”.
“Be careful...there’s some elements of the trans agenda being sneakily promoted through this campaign,” he said, in a post to the Facebook group for Auckland’s LGBT community.
Stuff
Face of the Day
Related
Face of the Day
‘I can say quite honestly, they’re not in the league of the best I’ve seen’ – Winston Peters
Face of the Day
Gifford became one of the country’s most recognisable sporting voices, but for generations of Christchurch listeners he was equally well known as one half of a hugely successful radio partnership with Simon Barnett.
Face of the Day
His whānau described Rurawhe as a pillar of their family and acknowledged his deep connection to the Rātana faith and its legacy.
Face of the Day
“Barbara Edmonds will be the minister of finance. She is the best qualified person in parliament to be the minister of finance. That is a bottom line. It’s not negotiable” – Hipkins
Latest
Throwing Good Money After Bad Is Easy When It’s Not Yours
‘Snowy 2.0’ is costing billions and may never be finished: it’s time to stop.
Time for Cable Street 2.0
This time, the left are playing the role of Mosley’s Blackshirts.
Quick Hit: Own It, Both Of You
National pledges a digital trans-Tasman trial before the 2028 T20 World Cup. Hipkins says he and Albanese agreed it in 2023. Luxon says you need National to get things done. The row is about credit, not caution. Own it, both of you.