Human Rights Commission
Media Release
15 January 2008

Refusing to serve patrons a breach of the Human Rights Act

Refusing to serve Israelis at two Invercargill businesses as a protest against Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip would clearly be a breach of the Human Rights Act, says Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres.

The Act prohibits discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of ethnic or national origin or of political opinion.

Mr de Bres was commenting on a newspaper report that a café owner in Invercargill refused to serve two Israeli women in protest at the Israeli Government’s actions. There was also a reported comment from a neighbouring kebab shop owner that he would do the same.

“Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation in Palestine, it is simply against the law for providers of goods and services in New Zealand to discriminate in this way."

Mr de Bres says there is active debate among New Zealanders about the situation in the Gaza Strip, with demonstrations and protests supporting both the Palestinians and the Israelis. “That is entirely within the law and the sign of a healthy democracy."

It was important, however, that people respect the rights of others to hold a different opinion and not to discriminate against them on that basis. A frank and respectful exchange on the issue has, for example, been taking place on the Aotearoa Ethnic Network.

Mr de Bres commended the Peace Foundation and the United Nations Association of New Zealand for organising an interfaith prayer vigil for peace in Wellington tonight.

The vigil will be held at St Andrew’s on the Terrace from 5.30 to 6.30. The organisers say the peace prayer vigil is a spiritual event. It provides an opportunity for people to appreciate and reflect on the universal call for peace in the different religious faiths. It will not include discussion about, or the promotion of specific proposals or actions for peace in the Middle East or anywhere else. People are invited to appreciate and respect the air of peace at the event.

ENDS

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