Thu 13 Feb 2014 In: Our Communities View at Wayback View at NDHA
Allyson Hamblett (Pic: Human Rights Commission) Transgender rights advocate Allyson Hamblett is among those who have been crying out for specific protection from discrimination based on gender identity to be included in the Human Rights Act.She weighs in on an update which has raised hope of action. The issue of clarification of the Human Rights Act in terms of 'gender identity' has been around since the Human Rights commission recommended it in To Be Who I Am in 2008. Although the issue dates back to when Georgina Beyer attempted to get gender identity into the Human Rights Act as a specific ground of discrimination, but resulted in a Crown Law Opinion in 2006, which for some has been enough and raises the question, why lobby for something that is already there> ‘Gender Identity' appears in the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act (2013), but also appears in the Sentencing Act (2002). The latter saw the term added without any issue or controversy, and when the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill became law we witnessed that fantastic speech by Maurice Williamson. Louisa Wall has recently written a letter to Judith Collins asking her to agree to amend the Human Rights Act as part of the Statutes Amendment Bill which will be going through Parliament later this year. She says that the “Crown Law opinion is extra-judicial and while it may act as a guide to some Judges, there is no guarantee that section 21 in its current form will be interpreted as including gender identity. Louisa Wall concludes: “I would therefore appreciate it if you would agree to include an amendment to section 21 (1) (a) to state “sex which includes gender identity, pregnancy and childbirth,” to this year’s Statutes Amendment Bill”. Let’s lobby Judith Collins to make the necessary amendment, and finally clarify the Human Rights Act in terms of gender identity. Allyson Hamblett - 13th February 2014