Thursday, August 23 2001
Stephen Franks
Press Releases -- Justice, Law & Order

A Human Rights Commissioner who has to have an apology driven out of her on Holmes for an attempted abuse of power, should offer her resignation and it should be accepted before she offers it, ACT justice spokesman Stephen Franks says.

"I assume Ella Henry was counselled by an older and wiser head not to compound the offence by a dispute on national television, and took that advice," Mr Franks said.

"But a Human Rights Commissioner is supposed to be that wise head.

"No person who displays such pre-judgement of the police, who sees racism so immediately, and who lacks the judgement to recognise the conflict of interest and the damage to her office that will follow from trying to be judge and advocate in her own case, is fit to sit in judgement on her fellow New Zealanders.

""ACT predicted that tears would follow when Auditor-General Margaret Wilson starting packing the Human Rights Commission with her ideological cronies.

"It is part of a scheme to change the constitution covertly. But none of us imagined that simple unsuitability would be shown so starkly, so soon," Mr Franks said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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