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Act MP Muriel Newman
is questioning the need for a "Rainbow Desk" telephone hotline to
field complaints about discrimination from gay and transgender New
Zealanders.
She says the hotline would duplicate services already
provided by the Human Rights Commission.
Dr Newman has obtained papers under the Official
Information Act that show the Ministry of Social Development plans to spend
$127,000 this year and next year on the Rainbow Desk telephone service.
The service would be for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender people who might experience discrimination and disadvantage, the
papers say. They also say that the views of the "special interest"
group would be taken into consideration when providing social sector policy
advice to ministers.
The ministry says it plans to reorganise resources to
create teams for the Office of Disability, the Community and Voluntary Sector
Office and the Rainbow Desk so that the interests of these groups can be taken
into account in advice to the Government.
The $127,000 would be for the establishment of a
one-person service. If that level of service proved inadequate, a separate
paper would be presented to the Cabinet with options for more funding.
The Human Rights Commission has a role in mediating
disputes relating to unlawful discrimination under the Human Rights Act. This
includes discrimination for sexual orientation.
In light of that, Dr Newman yesterday questioned the need
for a Rainbow Desk.
"This appears to be duplication and a waste of
taxpayer money," she said.
"Haven't we got a Human Rights Commission whose sole
purpose is to clamp down on discrimination?"
The commission gets $5 million a year in Government
funding.
A spokesman for Social Development Minister Steve Maharey
said the service was not going to be an 0800 number the public could call
with complaints.
"That absolutely would be the job of the Human Rights
Commission."
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