Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
16 September 2024
John Luke
[FYI request #28113 email]
Our ref: OIA 115066
Tēnā koe John
Official Information Act request: Human Rights Commission appointments
Thank you for your email of 19 August 2024 to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry),
requesting under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) information about the selection
of the Human Rights Commissioners (the Commissioners). Specifically, you requested:
… May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you have call
for public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website. Also, how many applications you have
received for each of the Human Rights Commissioner positions from the public and
how many you have received from other nominating agencies such as TPK or
Ministry of women etc for your role. How many you have shortlisted and how many
you have interviewed.
In response to your request, the Ministry called for expressions of interest for these positions
by advertising them on the Ministry’s website at: justice.govt.nz/about/statutory-vacancies/
The Ministry also emailed about 100 community organisations and individuals identified from
the contact list for the Ministry’s internal human rights reporting, asking them to encourage
suitable candidates to apply. Nominations were also sought from members of the
Government caucus and the leaders of coalition parties. Ministry guidance for the
appointment of Commissioners can be read here: justice.govt.nz/assets/Guidance-for-the-
appointment-of-Human-Rights-Commissioners.pdf/
The total number of expressions of interest and nominations was as follows:
• Chief Commissioner: 12
• Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner: 9
• Race Relations Commissioner: 18
None of these expressions of interest were received from nominating agencies.
The total number of candidates shortlisted for the positions was as follows:
• Chief Commissioner: 6
• Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner: 3
• Race Relations Commissioner: 6
The total number of candidates subsequently interviewed for the positions was as follows:
• Chief Commissioner: 6
• Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner: 3
• Race Relations Commissioner: 4
If you require any further information, please contact Media & Social Media Manager Joe
Locke at [email address].
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at: justice.govt.nz/about/official-information-act-requests/oia-responses/.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Of ice of the Ombudsman may be
contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Jeff Orr
Chief Legal Counsel
