Only one day into the job, and National's "political correctness eradicator" Wayne Mapp is already boxing at shadows, vowing to take "coercive powers" from the Human Rights Commission that it doesn't have. Mapp wants to introduce a private member's bill to "fix" the Human Rights Commission. "It sets out a way of thinking we're all expected to follow and then it backs it up with a whole series of coercive powers," he says. But HRC Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan says the Commission has no coercive powers, acts only on complaints and then only in an advocacy or mediatory role. It's functions and responsibilities are clearly set out in the Human Rights Act. “Where a settlement cannot be agreed, complainants may take their case to the [separate] Human Rights Review Tribunal and seek legal representation from the Director of Human Rights Proceedings,” she says. Mapp has the Human Rights Commission as one of his prime targets because, he says, “Removing the power of the politically correct means removing their institutional and legislative base”. Noonan says the work of the Commission is not politcally correct. “The United Nations standards require an institution such as ours to be an advocate for human rights and to ensure that governments protect this role. New Zealand's international legal obligations are to reasonably protect everyone's human rights,” she says. Mapp's appointment as “political correctness eradicator” has evoked reactions ranging from amused to disturbed. The NZ Herald described it as “menacing-sounding”. National Radio host Mary Wilson called it “Stalinist”. Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen labelled it “chillingly fascist-sounding”. Labour MP Steve Maharey yesterday asked for Mapp to explain to taxpayers exactly what his role as “political correctness eradicator” would entail. Details so far have been vague, even from National leader Don Brash who reportedly established the new position. Brash told National Radio he got the idea from a speech Mapp gave four months ago, but couldn't remember any of the details of it.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Thursday, 27th October 2005 - 12:00pm