Judith Collins Political lobbying masters Rainbow Wellington have canvassed the isssues of adoption, marriage, To Be Who I Am and bullying with Justice Minister Judith Collins, and shared her response for GayNZ.com readers. Dear Minister As you will probably be aware, Rainbow Wellington is a Wellington based organisation which, among other matters, has as an objective the pursuit of the human and civil rights of gay, lesbian, transgender and other citizens of related orientations. Although we are based in the capital many of the issues we pursue have national implications. In recent years as the parliamentary term has commenced we have taken the opportunity to contact the Minister responsible for matters relating to human and civil rights to set out our priority issues over the three years ahead and to seek your views on these. We understand that in the forthcoming term this portfolio responsibility rests with you, thus this letter to you. Our major concerns are: The need to make progress on the extension of rights of adoption by same sex couples on the same basis as mixed sex couples. This is a glaring instance of the remaining discriminations against gay, lesbian and related citizens. This is rendered even more so by the fact that whereas a single gay or lesbian person may adopt a child a same sex couple may not. We understand that the entire Adoption Act is seriously in need of review, being now over half a century old and purposing to serve a very different society to that in which it was formulated. We are aware that some people want a full scale review of the legislation and we support that. But do not see this as a reason for delay and we would like to see some progress on this specific issue in the current term. The need to provide for same sex marriage. We have now been surpassed by a number of other developed countries in providing for same sex marriage. We note in that connection that the essence of marriage in public law is not a matter of religion (which is purely an individual and private concern) but a question of access to certain procedural forms which are not available to our members in the same manner as they are to other adult citizens. This is a form of discrimination which is hard to justify. At the very least the status of those same sex couples married in other jurisdictions will need to be clarified in law sooner or later, given the significant international movement of people and the need for New Zealand to attract skilled professionals to our work force. We should be making it easier for them to come here on their own terms and not put unnecessary obstacles in their way through a lack of clarity as to their status. We understand that this is a charged issue in some quarters but we also feel that it has considerable symbolic significance as a signal that we are committed as a society to human rights per se whatever may be the feelings held in respect of the specific issue. The need to complete and speed up the implementation of the 2008 Human Rights Commission Report To Be Who I Am. We are aware that this constitutes a complex group of issues and, we have been assured by your predecessor, some progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the report. Nevertheless, transgender and related citizens continue to suffer discrimination in a range of ways and there is no justification for this situation to continue. In particular you will no doubt be aware of the question of where transgender inmates are to be located by the Corrections Department and the recent highlighting of this issue by the Chief Ombudsman. This underlines the fact that implementation of this report is still incomplete and needs to be progressed. The need to grapple comprehensively and realistically with the problem of homophobic bullying in schools. There has been significant public debate on this issue over recent years and it has achieved some public profile both internationally and in this country, with expressions of concern at a political level. However no public resources have been devoted specifically to combating it, and assuming that it will be swept up by general anti-bullying initiatives is not sufficient. There are specific problems linked to it and significant research outcomes e.g. unacceptable rates of adolescent suicide, and developing identity which contribute to it, which must be addressed in and for themselves. We canvassed the views of your party on some of these matters shortly before the last election and we would expect you to express a view of them as they might arise over the next three years in line with your past statements of policy. What we would like you to tell us however, is what steps, if any, you might be contemplating to actively pursue these issues by way of legislative or administrative action over the current parliamentary term and what priority you might give to them if they are in contemplation. We look forward to hearing from you accordingly. Yours sincerely Tony Simpson Chair Rainbow Wellington - 19th April 2012