Yellow Triangle Prevention Project
Media Release
May 4, 2000
Australian Commission Condemns Under 25 Scheme As Discriminatory And Repugnant
The Yellow Triangle Prevention Project has received a letter of support from the Anti-Discrimination Commission in
Queensland, Australia which has criticised the Under 25 Scheme as discriminatory and repugnant.
The Under 25 Scheme which is currently operating in Christchurch, has failed to take off with the Australian public.
The Anti-Discrimination Commission in Queensland Australia (the equivalent of the Human Rights Commission in New
Zealand) which operates under the Australia's Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 has called the scheme "indirect
discrimination" because it has "the impact of treating less favourably a group of people on the basis of age." As such
the Anti-Discrimination Commission "sent out warning signals to the media and the police service about the repugnance of
their scheme".
The letter from the Commission also sends best wishes for the formal complaints that have been made to the New Zealand
Human Rights Commission.
Yani Johanson, Project Coordinator:
"I praise the Anti-Discrimination Commission for being pro-active in opposing the Under 25 Scheme. Their view that the
scheme indirectly discriminates and as such is illegal gives hope to those in New Zealand who have made formal
complaints to our own Human Rights Commission for a similar decision."
"It is also encouraging to see the majority of the Australian public shun the scheme because of its nasty nature. This
rejection of the Under 25 Scheme is part of growing pressure for the New Zealand police to abort any plans to implement
the scheme nationwide."
Ends