NZ Human Rights Commission - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz Catholic News New Zealand Mon, 11 Mar 2019 00:58:22 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cathnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-cathnewsfavicon-32x32.jpg NZ Human Rights Commission - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz 32 32 70145804 Human rights case could prompt changes in the hiring and training of church ministers. https://cathnews.co.nz/2019/03/11/human-rights-case-could-prompt-changes-in-the-hiring-and-training-of-church-ministers/ Mon, 11 Mar 2019 06:50:11 +0000 https://cathnews.co.nz/?p=115734 The Anglican Church is facing a landmark case from a parishioner arguing it should be responsible for abusive priests - one of whom allegedly harassed her in counselling sessions after her baby's death. It will be the first time a New Zealand church has been tested as an employer under human rights law, and if Read more

Human rights case could prompt changes in the hiring and training of church ministers.... Read more]]> The Anglican Church is facing a landmark case from a parishioner arguing it should be responsible for abusive priests - one of whom allegedly harassed her in counselling sessions after her baby's death.

It will be the first time a New Zealand church has been tested as an employer under human rights law, and if successful could prompt wholesale changes in the hiring and training of ministers.
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Human rights case could prompt changes in the hiring and training of church ministers.]]> 115734 Should Richard Prosser be banned from flying? https://cathnews.co.nz/2013/02/15/islamic-associations-lay-formal-complaint-against-prosser/ Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:29:47 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=39256

A blogger has, perhaps light heartedly, called for New Zealand's airlines to ban "Richard Prosser and his fellow Islamophobes from aircraft!" "How would he and they feel if that happened? Not too happy I would imagine!" says Chris Ford. On Wednesday Prosser apologised for comments made in a magazine column that young Muslim men should be Read more

Should Richard Prosser be banned from flying?... Read more]]> A blogger has, perhaps light heartedly, called for New Zealand's airlines to ban "Richard Prosser and his fellow Islamophobes from aircraft!"

"How would he and they feel if that happened? Not too happy I would imagine!" says Chris Ford.

On Wednesday Prosser apologised for comments made in a magazine column that young Muslim men should be banned from flying on western airlines.

"If the greatest identifiable threat to modern aviation security is posed by young Muslim males, then surely the answer is to prohibit young Muslim males from flying on our aeroplanes."

Prosser also claimed New Zealand's rights were being denigrated by "misogynist troglodytes from Wogistan."

When asked on National Radio's Nine to Noon programme what provoked the article he said: ‘‘I had my pocket knife confiscated. This is the pocket knife that I've owned for - I couldn't count the number of years - and I used to travel with internationally prior to 9/11 before the world went mad.''

He said he had also carried it up and down the country 30-odd times last year.

The New Zealand Federation of Islamic Associations is laying a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission over Prosser's comments.

Federation of Muslim Association President Anwar Ghani hopes the complaint will see Mr Prosser step down from his position.

He says a person of his intellect doesn't deserve to be in Parliament.

Prosser says he won't resign from Parliament for his anti-Muslim "brain explosion" in spite of the growing consensus that he is not fit to be an MP.

Meanwhile, Prosser's "trusty" swiss pocket knife, which inspired the 1700-word column, remains in a safe at Christchurch Airport.

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Should Richard Prosser be banned from flying?]]> 39256 Lawyer questions Human Rights Commission: ministers of religion not free over same gender marriage https://cathnews.co.nz/2012/08/31/lawyer-questions-human-rights-commission-ministers-of-religion-not-free-over-same-gender-marriage/ Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:30:17 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=32487 Church ministers with a moral objection to same gender marriage would be criminalised by refusing to wed same-sex couples if a new bill becomes law, a legal opinion states. Ian Bassett's opinion suggests church ministers, marriage celebrants and even wedding photographers who withheld their services to same-sex couples on the grounds of a moral objection Read more

Lawyer questions Human Rights Commission: ministers of religion not free over same gender marriage... Read more]]> Church ministers with a moral objection to same gender marriage would be criminalised by refusing to wed same-sex couples if a new bill becomes law, a legal opinion states.

Ian Bassett's opinion suggests church ministers, marriage celebrants and even wedding photographers who withheld their services to same-sex couples on the grounds of a moral objection to gay marriage would be breaking the law if Wall's bill passed.

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Lawyer questions Human Rights Commission: ministers of religion not free over same gender marriage]]> 32487 HRC: Religious ministers have right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple https://cathnews.co.nz/2012/08/28/nz-human-rights-commission-religious-ministers-choice-who-they-marry/ Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:30:22 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=32225

"Religious ministers have the right to refuse to marry anyone. That right will not change if the Bill becomes law," says Human Rights Chief Commissioner David Rutherford. "It will be up to any individual marriage celebrant, including those who are religious ministers, to decide whether or not they wish to marry a same-sex couple." The Human Read more

HRC: Religious ministers have right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple... Read more]]> "Religious ministers have the right to refuse to marry anyone. That right will not change if the Bill becomes law," says Human Rights Chief Commissioner David Rutherford. "It will be up to any individual marriage celebrant, including those who are religious ministers, to decide whether or not they wish to marry a same-sex couple."

The Human Rights Commission says:

If the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill became law no religious minister would be required to marry a same-sex couple, anywhere, including in a church. Section 29 of the Marriage Act states "a marriage licence shall authorise but not oblige any marriage celebrant to solemnise the marriage to which it relates".

A religious marriage is a core part of practising a religion. Religious officials and leaders are free to refuse to perform marriages that are not in accordance with their religious beliefs. In New Zealand, the discretion currently given to marriage celebrants in section 29 of the Marriage Act 1955 allows any marriage celebrant, including religious ministers who are licensed celebrants, the right to refuse to marry someone without breaching the unlawful discrimination provisions of the HRA. In part this reflects the fact that religious ceremonies and services are not an area of public life covered by the HRA. Similarly ceremonial or consecrated spaces, or any other religious premises that are not made available for the public to hire, are not covered by the HRA.

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HRC: Religious ministers have right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple]]> 32225 NZ Human Rights Commission endorses same gender marriage https://cathnews.co.nz/2012/08/28/nz-human-rights-commission-endorses-ame-gender-marriages/ Mon, 27 Aug 2012 19:30:11 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=32220

The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has formally endorsed same gender marriage and a non-discriminatory approach to adoption that gives primacy to the best interests of the child. The conclusion to The HRC's short paper states: "In order to ensure formal legal equality, including the right to found and form a family regardless of sexual orientation or Read more

NZ Human Rights Commission endorses same gender marriage... Read more]]> The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has formally endorsed same gender marriage and a non-discriminatory approach to adoption that gives primacy to the best interests of the child.

The conclusion to The HRC's short paper states:

"In order to ensure formal legal equality, including the right to found and form a family regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, the Commission formally:

  • endorses marriage equality - namely the right to marry, form a civil union or a de facto partnership regardless of one's sexual orientation, sex or gender identity.
  • endorses adoption equality - ensuring primacy is given to the best interests of the child irrespective of each person's sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability or the couple's marital status."

The paper can be downloaded from the Human Rights Commission.

The Commission also recommends legislative change to allow same gender couples to adopt children.

"Restricting the right to adopt to couples who are married or to opposite sex de-facto couples amounts to discrimination under the Human Rights Act and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. The Commission recommends amending the Adoption Act to ensure adoption equality that focuses on the best interests of the child, and does not discriminate against parents because of their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or marital status."

"The Commission's paper notes two proposed members' bills that would allow same-sex couples to adopt."

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NZ Human Rights Commission endorses same gender marriage]]> 32220