Positive Party policy proposals progressed by Rainbow Labour

Rainbow Labour has achieved significant progress at the Labour Party annual conference this past weekend towards ensuring the sixth Labour government delivers a programme of hope for rainbow youth and rainbow communities all around New Zealand.

“Marriage Equality was a huge milestone for the rainbow community, but we recognise that far more work needs to be done to make sure everywhere we work, live, or learn is safe and inclusive, especially for younger queer people”, says new Rainbow Labour co-chair David Do.

“Research has shown that suicide rates for queer or questioning youth are significantly higher than the general population. Community groups are consistently under-resourced and not enough is being done by government to address these issues,” says Rainbow Labour co-chair Amanda Hill.

“We have worked hard to get several policies adopted by the Party, and we hope they will make a real difference to queer youth and those who care for children once Labour is in government,” says Hill.

Policy proposals adopted by the whole conference for Labour in government to implement include:

• ·       Taking action to eradicate discrimination, violence and bullying, and to combat suicide and self-harm by queer youth by improving the pastoral support given to queer youth in the education system and introducing mandatory anti-bullying reporting requirements to the remit of the Education Review Office, against which schools must report;

• ·       Repealing the Adoption Act 1955 and reforming the Care of Children Act 2004 to ensure that New Zealand's adoptions laws are modern, culturally appropriate and non-discriminatory;

• ·       Supporting transgender New Zealanders by implementing the recommendations of the Human Rights Commission's "To Be who I am: Report of the Inquiry into Discrimination Experienced by Transgender People"; and

• ·       Prohibiting Boards of Trustees from restricting the attendance of same-sex partners at school events.

Party members at the Annual Conference also collectively adopted a constitutional change that will ensure the 2014 Labour Party List incorporates diversity by “fairly representing tangata whenua, gender, ethnic groups, people with disabilities, sexual orientation, age, and youth.”

David Do joins Amanda Hill as Rainbow Labour co-chairs heading into 2014, following elections by the Rainbow Sector Council during annual conference this past weekend. The Council thanked Richard Hills for his service as co-chair over the past year.

“We’re excited to start working to get a sixth Labour government next year, one which will help deliver a fair and just society where all citizens live in dignity and are part of a nation we can be proud of,” says co-chair Amanda Hill.

“As a sector, we will be promoting Labour’s rainbow MPs, candidates and policies relevant to rainbow communities next year. We will also be engaging and learning from community groups and other rainbow organisations to enhance and advance our policy agenda and priorities,” concludes Do.

Note: The Rainbow Sector of the Labour Party (‘Rainbow Labour’) provides an active voice for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, takataapui and fa’afafine people within the Party and in wider political forums.  

ENDS

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