Law May Uphold Sexual Choice (Press, 25 January 1989)

On 25 January 1989, discussions were underway to make discrimination based on sexual orientation illegal in New Zealand as part of proposed amendments to the Human Rights Commission Act. Mr Richard Northey, the chairman of the Labour Party’s caucus committee on justice and member of Parliament for Eden, announced that this initiative was among ten suggested additions presented by the commission. Although the Justice Department and Northey's committee had been deliberating on the recommendations for about a year, no final decisions had yet been made regarding implementation. In addition to sexual orientation, the proposed recommendations aimed to protect individuals from discrimination based on various other grounds, including physical or mental disabilities, age, employment status, pregnancy, trade union or political views, parental status, and issues related to H.I.V., as well as transvestitism and transsexuality. Discrimination clauses directed towards homosexual individuals were previously removed from the Homosexual Law Reform Bill during a conscience vote in Parliament, although the bill was ultimately passed in 1986, decriminalising homosexual acts. The topic of discrimination had gained renewed attention, particularly in light of the AIDS crisis, with reports suggesting that some life insurance companies refused to insure homosexuals or imposed higher premiums based solely on their sexual orientation. Northey expressed that while inquiries about individuals' sexual activities could be considered reasonable, making assumptions based solely on sexual orientation should not be acceptable. The Human Rights Commission's recommended changes were focused on protecting rights in employment, housing, and access to publicly available services. Among the recommendations, Northey highlighted the importance of the disability provision, which could potentially affect as much as one in five individuals, as it aimed to prevent discrimination against those with mental health issues who have undergone psychological treatment.

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