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Human Rights Act 1993

Resolution of disputes about compliance with Part 1A and Part 2 - Proceedings

92B: Civil proceedings arising from complaints

You could also call this:

"Going to court when someone breaks the Human Rights Act"

Illustration for Human Rights Act 1993

You can take someone to court if they break the Human Rights Act. You can do this if you made a complaint under section 76(2)(a) and it was about someone breaking Part 1A or Part 2. You can take them to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. If the complaint is about a breach of Part 1A that is a law, you can take the Attorney-General to court. You can also take a person or body to court if they are responsible for the breach, as stated in section 3(b) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990. The Human Rights Commission can take someone to court on your behalf. This can happen if the complaint is about a discriminatory practice that affects a group of people. If no one has taken the person to court, they can take you to court instead. If you reached a settlement but the other person is not following it, you can take them to court to make them follow it. The Commission can take someone to court, but only if you agree and if it will help them do their job, as stated in section 5(2)(a). However, there are some cases where you cannot take someone to court, as stated in section 79(3).

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM304921.

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Part 3Resolution of disputes about compliance with Part 1A and Part 2
Proceedings

92BCivil proceedings arising from complaints

  1. If a complaint referred to in section 76(2)(a) has been made, the complainant, the person aggrieved (if not the complainant), or the Commission may bring civil proceedings before the Human Rights Review Tribunal—

  2. for a breach of Part 1A (other than a breach of Part 1A that is an enactment, or an act or omission authorised or required by an enactment or otherwise by law), against the person or persons alleged to be responsible for the breach:
    1. for a breach of Part 1A that is an enactment, or an act or omission authorised or required by an enactment or otherwise by law, against the Attorney-General, or against a person or body referred to in section 3(b) of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 alleged to be responsible for the breach:
      1. for a breach of Part 2, against the person or persons alleged to be responsible for the breach.

        1. If a complaint under section 76(2)(a) relates to a discriminatory practice alleged to be in breach of Part 1A or Part 2 and to affect a class of persons, proceedings under subsection (1) may be brought by the Commission on behalf of the class of persons affected.

        2. A person against whom a complaint referred to in section 76(2)(a) has been made may bring civil proceedings before the Tribunal in relation to the complaint if no proceedings in relation to the complaint have been brought under subsection (1) by, or on behalf of, the complainant or person aggrieved or a class of persons.

        3. If parties to a complaint under section 76(2)(a) have reached a settlement of the complaint (whether through mediation or otherwise) but one of them is failing to observe a term of the settlement, another of them may bring proceedings before the Tribunal to enforce the settlement.

        4. The rights given by subsections (1), (3), and (4) are not limited or affected just because the Commission or a mediator at a dispute resolution meeting or the Director is taking any action in relation to the complaint concerned.

        5. Despite subsection (2), the Commission may bring proceedings under subsection (1) only if—

        6. the complainant or person aggrieved (if not the complainant) has not brought proceedings; and
          1. the Commission has obtained the agreement of that person before bringing the proceedings; and
            1. it considers that bringing the proceedings will facilitate the performance of its functions stated in section 5(2)(a).

              1. Despite subsections (1) to (6), no proceedings may be brought under this section in respect of a complaint or relevant part of a complaint to which section 79(3) applies.

              Notes
              • Section 92B: inserted, on , by section 9 of the Human Rights Amendment Act 2001 (2001 No 96).