Press Release
Stephen Berry
Human Rights

Stephen Berry Applauds Ruling on Banning Women from Gay Venue

Collingwood gay venue Sircuit Bar has won the right to ban women from its premises in a landmark ruling by a Victoria Court. Tamaki Independent candidate Stephen Berry asks, “Why is it that supposed minority groups are given this opportunity when the general public is still, by law, prohibited from discriminating?”

Stephen Berry is glad that the owners of Sircuit have had their property rights protected by this court ruling. “This club is private property. The owner should have every right to decide who may or may not enter his property. The criterion used is completely irrelevant to the right to decide.”

Mr. Berry believes individuals are the rightful owners of their own lives and they should be free to live their life however they see fit on the condition force is not used against others. “The right of the individual to run their own life is useless if it does not include the ability to use what they own in the same way. Private property owners should be free to make use of their property in any way they see fit on the condition they are not infringing the rights of others to do the same. Placing a ban on certain people entering that premises violates the rights of nobody.”

The Tamaki candidate would like to see such a ruling applied to all private property, not just that owned by ‘special minorities.’ “Currently gyms in New Zealand can declare themselves for women only and not allow men to join. Why then, can a club not declare itself for gentlemen only without being taken to court for discrimination? Why can a club not place a ban on homosexuals from entering without feeling the force of the law?”

“If a business chooses to discriminate, individuals also have the choice to not patronise that business if they disagree with the policy. The free market is more democratic than democracy. If sufficient individuals choose to punish a business for its discrimination policy by withholding their custom, such a business will close.”

While supporting the rights of individuals to discriminate if they wish, Mr. Berry completely opposes any idea of government being able to do the same. “Government’s role is solely to protect individual liberty. It should protect the liberty of all individuals equally. This means no special treatment for people based on their race or any other factors.”

Ends

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