@pault.bsky.social
Human Rights Defender / Founder of Rights Aotearoa @rightsaotearoa.bsky.social || he/him || Proud alumnus of London Business School || ❤️Food & Wine || Trans rights are human rights
Human rights are not a priority for the government at this time.
08.10.2025 00:42 — 👍 17 🔁 2 💬 1 📌 0Already on it!
07.10.2025 22:57 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Wow, Google needs its own entry in those Nobel prize by country graphs. Or the famous chocolate consumption vs Nobel laureates graph!
3 prizes in 2 years.
Wow, Google needs its own entry in those Nobel prize by country graphs. Or the famous chocolate consumption vs Nobel laureates graph!
3 prizes in 2 years.
The Law Commission’s Ia Tangata report Thank you for your email and accompanying letter of 9 September 2025, regarding your concerns about the Law Commission’s (the Commission) report: Ia ‘Tangata Protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations of sex characteristics’. The Commission has made 27 recommendations for reform of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA). The Commission’s central recommendation is to add two prohibited grounds of discrimination to the HRA, which are: 1. gender identity or its equivalents in the culture of a person, and 2. having an innate variation of sex characteristics. The Commission also makes recommendations on how the 19 existing exceptions which allow, in prescribed circumstances, discrimination based on sex in the private sector, should apply to the two new prohibited grounds. The Commission’s report covers a number of complex questions and will attract a range of views. As Minister of Justice, I will be receiving advice over the coming months about the Commission’s recommendations. Whilst I do not want to predetermine the Government’s response, we have significant commitments and priorities in the Justice portfolio to restore law and order and improve timeliness in the courts. Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time. The Government will formally respond to the recommendations from the Commission as required, by the beginning of March 2026. I acknowledge your request to meet with me, however, I regret that I am unable to meet with you at this time. Thank you for taking the time to write. Yours sincerely
Letter from Goldsmith to Rights Aotearoa about the Ia Tangata report.
"Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time."
The Law Commission’s Ia Tangata report Thank you for your email and accompanying letter of 9 September 2025, regarding your concerns about the Law Commission’s (the Commission) report: Ia ‘Tangata Protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations of sex characteristics’. The Commission has made 27 recommendations for reform of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA). The Commission’s central recommendation is to add two prohibited grounds of discrimination to the HRA, which are: 1. gender identity or its equivalents in the culture of a person, and 2. having an innate variation of sex characteristics. The Commission also makes recommendations on how the 19 existing exceptions which allow, in prescribed circumstances, discrimination based on sex in the private sector, should apply to the two new prohibited grounds. The Commission’s report covers a number of complex questions and will attract a range of views. As Minister of Justice, I will be receiving advice over the coming months about the Commission’s recommendations. Whilst I do not want to predetermine the Government’s response, we have significant commitments and priorities in the Justice portfolio to restore law and order and improve timeliness in the courts. Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time. The Government will formally respond to the recommendations from the Commission as required, by the beginning of March 2026. I acknowledge your request to meet with me, however, I regret that I am unable to meet with you at this time. Thank you for taking the time to write. Yours sincerely
Letter from Goldsmith to Rights Aotearoa about the Ia Tangata report.
"Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time."
Tomorrow, Bob McCoskrie is going to try and fan the flames of anti-transgender sentiment by profiling "de-transitioners".
But gender affirming care (including surgeries) has exceedingly low regret rates, <2%
26% of people severely regret knee replacement surgery, but Bob won't do a show on them.
I am so done with this bullshit.
NZ First mingled with a crowd who set fire to the grounds of parliament.
The Greens marched with a hīkoi that did not leave a scrap of litter on those same grounds.
As #NZ economy tanks under #Neoliberalism, the Coalition relishes the chance for distraction & an excuse to clamp down on #protest
The right's frenzy is complete. Each step advances a clear #AtlasNetwork strategy & the 💚Greens are in their way. #nzpol snarkyas.substack.com/p/as-economy...
Winston Peters strolled around and anti-vax picnic and spoke with people who had chanted and written threats of hanging on gallows of Jacinda Ardern, Dr Ashley Bloomfield and so on, but this was all OK as it was just harmless opportunistic politicking #NZPol
07.10.2025 04:10 — 👍 255 🔁 71 💬 13 📌 3The economy is not going to recover in time to give Luxon an election boost.
This means Winston, Luxon, and Seymour will try to stir up culture wars to distract us.
Don't get sucked in - just hammer home the lousy economic performance, the incredibly high cost of living, and the general despair.
There is *literally* only one side inciting & escalating political violence & almost all NZ msm are claiming it's the other way around
This is the fascist turn happening in real time. Sorry to break it to you - a bunch of propagandists & decision makers across media & business have chosen sides
I think one should probably avoid X for several hours - this will send the usual suspects into a maddening frenzy.
Great appointment!
www.gavi.org/news/media-r...
Winston: still not recognising palestine, calls recognition a "distraction"
Go fuck yourself, genocidiere. #nzqt
What beautiful flowers.
07.10.2025 01:03 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0How does a bill get to select committee when one of the key operational concepts of the bill is left wholly undefined?
"Nearby" is not defined in the Summary Offences (Demonstrations Near Residential Premises) Amendment Bill
It's clearly defined in the abortion safe zones law.
AMATEUR HOUR.
We believe peaceful protests anywhere are legitimate. This is a solution in search of a problem—a bad, vague law.
07.10.2025 00:52 — 👍 6 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
This bill is so badly worded at present, there is no way to know beforehand whether you are breaking the law. It's Kafka-esque.
It doesn't define 'near'. It's amateur hour.
www.rightsaotearoa.nz/media-releas...
Incredible work
www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/5...
Small favour: sign up for the Rights Aotearoa mailing list at
👉 www.rightsaotearoa.nz
It’ll be our main communications channel in the future (besides BSky): a weekly Thursday newsletter + the occasional urgent human rights hot take.
No spam, NO YELLING, just substance.
quote
Labour must oppose the bill that implements the proposed ban on protests outside houses.
As Rights Aotearoa pointed out in its select committee submission, it is a terribly constructed piece of proposed legislation and is highly problematic in many respects.
www.rightsaotearoa.nz/submission-t...
#NZPol Take your anti-nausea meds then watch Ryan Bridges deference to Winston Peters here:
www.nzherald.co.nz/video/herald...
Then his disgusting attitude to Chlöe Swarbrick here:
www.nzherald.co.nz/video/herald...
And tell me NZME are anything like balanced media. Absolutely disgusting.
Delicious!
06.10.2025 22:26 — 👍 7 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0I think this question has been traversed by many, many minds greater than mine! :-)
06.10.2025 22:25 — 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Post 6/6
We can have fierce democratic debate. We can protest. We can hold power to account. But we do it without violence, without incitement, and without poisoning the well of our democracy. That's the standard we must all uphold.
Post 5/6
So here's my three-point plan:
Don't propose direct violent action. Don't incite violence. And don't create the societal conditions where violence becomes thinkable. It's that simple—and that essential.
Post 4/6
How does speech create violence? When Brian Tamaki quotes scripture about taking up arms—as he did over the weekend—he lays the groundwork. He creates permission structures. He normalises the idea that force is justified.
Post 3/6
Peters himself bears responsibility for Trumpian rhetoric that inflames passions. When public figures use divisive, inflammatory language, they create the conditions in which violence becomes more likely.
Post 2/6
I thoroughly detest the attack on Winston Peters' home. Violence against anyone is unacceptable. But let's be clear: non-violent protest near politicians' homes is a legitimate democratic tool. There's a line, and it must be respected. I hope his lovely dog didn't get injured by the glass.
Post 1/6
Political violence has no place in Aotearoa. Neither does incitement to violence. David Seymour joking about blowing up ministries was wrong. Martyn Bradbury encouraging people to spit in politicians' food was wrong. Full stop.
