This month the Human Rights Commission released their October report. In it, they called for amongst other things warm and dry homes and fair pay wrapping them up in the concept of “rights”. In response, ACT leader David Seymour and Simon Bridges both took issue with what was said.
ACT leader David Seymour this week called for the commission to be disbanded because it’s become “a hard-left organisation masquerading as a Government department” and is “no longer interested in helping real people with actual human rights issues”.
His attack came after the commission called on the newly elected Government to take human rights seriously.
“For many years, our Governments have signed up to human rights and promised to deliver. Now we need them to honour human rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” said Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt.
Yep, hard-left organisation alright.
[…]Among the rights highlighted in the commission’s October report are warm and dry homes, fair pay and good working conditions (including freedom from slavery).
The commission also urges the Government to implement the recommendations of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group, which include a raise to benefit levels to ensure struggling people can afford “the necessities of life”.
[…]Bridges, appearing on The AM Show with Parker, said Seymour “has a point”.
“While I don’t think we should disband it I do think it needs reform. I think a body that’s talking about fair pay and raising benefits and all of these other things – these are not what New Zealanders think of as human rights. They are legitimate arguments – but they ain’t human rights.”
Of course, Simon is correct although I’m surprised he’s saying it. It looks like he’s may be finally growing a pair. Either that or National losing so many votes to ACT may have woken him up.
The Human Rights Commission, a Crown entity which operates independently of the Government, has declined to comment on the outcry. The Greens said Seymour’s call “shows how far ACT has moved to the extreme right”.
Meh, the Greens have always seen ACT as extreme Right.
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