Winston Peters and NZ First are hoping to follow the anti-DEI path being laid by Donald Trump in the United States, proposing new legislation today to rid “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” regulation from the public service.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who introduced the current settings in 2020, said the move was “ridiculous” and said the public service should reflect all New Zealanders.
DEI commonly refers to policies or frameworks to ensure the inclusion of individuals and communities with varying characteristics or from different demographics.
Diversity and inclusion are currently described as “essential” parts of the public service, by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which has its own DEI plan and regularly reports on progress against DEI activities.
But NZ First wants “woke DEI regulations” removed from the public service and is proposing legislation to ensure employment decisions are based on merit rather than DEI targets.
This is being introduced as a Member’s Bill, meaning it would need to be picked from a ballot before being debated by Parliament. It is not a Government Bill.
“This bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector. New Zealand is a country founded on meritocracy not on some mind-numbingly stupid ideology,” said Peters.
NZ Herald
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“New Zealand is a country founded on meritocracy not on some mind-numbingly stupid ideology,” said Peters.
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