Justice Minister Andrew Little has announced that the process to appoint new a Chief Human Rights Commissioner, Race Relations Commissioner and Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner is underway.

He says New Zealand is a strong supporter of the United Nations’ Paris Principles, which set the standards of independence, integrity and effectiveness for institutions such as the Human Rights Commission.

“I am committed to ensuring that the process for these appointments is open and transparent and I have established a panel to advise me on the selection of the new commissioners,” says Mr Little.

The chosen panel members are:

Chair: Pauline Winter QSO (Te Atiawa/Taranaki) is an experienced Chief Executive who specialises in organisational change, capability building, market development and specialised solutions for business challenges.

Ms Pauline is also a former Chief Executive of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and Director of Pasifika Advancement at AUT University. She has governance experience across a broad range of businesses and sectors.

Sir John Clarke CNZM (Ngāti Porou and Ngāpuhi) was Chair of the Māori Heritage Council since 2013 and through the mid-1990s.

Sir John has played a role in almost 30 completed Treaty settlements around New Zealand and is the former chief executive of the Ministry of Māori Affairs and Race Relations Conciliator.

Al Morrison is currently Deputy Commissioner System Performance Group at the State Services Commission. He is also an experienced public servant, former journalist and former Chief Executive of the Department of Conservation.

“The new commissioners will be appointed according to objective criteria to ensure the Commission has the balance of skills it needs to carry out its functions properly, including Commissioners with practical governance experience,"
Mr Little says. 

“It is important that New Zealand has an independent and effective Human Rights Commission and honours our international commitments on human rights."