November 29, 2021
Tiriti rights challenge in traffic light shift
The Human Rights Commissioner says the move to the traffic light system for Covid management needs to honour both human rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
New Zealand moves to the new alert system at midnight Thursday, December 2nd.
Auckland will wake up on Friday to condition red, which means public facilities, shops, workplaces and schools will be open with public health measures in place.
The rest of the country will find out today which settings they will start at.
Commissioner Paul Hunt says from the start of the pandemic, society has been balancing competing human rights, and the balance is now shifting.
He says it’s important the system works for all.
“We can do it provided we always listen to and empower communities, we never lose sight of the critical values that should be driving our society, values such as manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, responsibility, fairness, inclusivity, community, all those really important values, they’ve got to be front and centre,” Professor Hunt says.
He says because of the urgency with which Covid legislation is enacted, it is important there is ongoing scrutiny.
The Waitangi Tribunal will next week hold an urgent hearing into the Government’s Covid response as part of its Health Services Claim.