MP Seeks Transgender Amendment In Statutes Bill

An MP has sought to include an amendment to the Human Rights Act covering discrimination against transgender people into the Statutes Amendment Bill.

After Question Time and the General Debate, the first reading of the Statutes Amendment Bill (No 4) will take place.

Most Labour MPs used the opportunity to take pot shots at Justice Minister Judith Collins. However Louisa Wall said she would be sending a Supplementary Order Paper seeking to amend the Human Rights Act to clarify the law to ensure it covered discrimination against transgender people.

She argued the amendment was technical, short and non-controversial and therefore qualified to be included in a statutes amendment bill.

Wall said the Human Rights Act was meant to cover gender issues and the Human Rights Commission treated the law as doing so, but some had raised the possibility of an interpretation of the law saying transgender issues might not be covered.

The bill completed its first reading on a voice vote and was sent to the Government Administration Committee for consideration.

MPs began the committee stage of the Victims of Crime Reform Bill.

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