Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is appointing Dr Stephen Rainbow as the new Chief Human Rights Commissioner as part of three major leadership changes.

“Dr Rainbow’s career has encompassed a range of roles including managing government relations for the largest infrastructure project in New Zealand, lecturing at Victoria University, as Director of Urban Strategy at Wellington City Council, and National Manager of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“He served as a Wellington City Councillor from 1989 to 1998, and has been active in promoting LBGT rights and is a former board member of the Burnett Foundation Aotearoa.

“I am also appointing Dr Gail Pacheco as the next Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

“Dr Pacheco is a Professor of Economics and Director of the NZ Policy Research Institute at Auckland University of Technology.

“She has extensive experience leading large-scale, multi-institutional funded projects, including work for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Ministry for Women, Ministry of Education and the Human Rights Commission.

“Finally, Dr Melissa Derby will become the new Race Relations Commissioner.

“Dr Derby is a senior lecturer at Waikato University, teaching early literacy and human development. Her primary area of research is early literacy, and in particular, exploring the role of whānau in fostering foundational preliteracy skills.

“Her work has been recognised through a range of awards, including a Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award.

“I’d like to thank outgoing Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Saunoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo, who has taken on the roles of Acting Chief Commissioner and Acting Race Relations Commissioner over much of the past year.”

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