An Act to consolidate and amend the Race Relations Act 1971 and the Human Rights Commission Act 1977 and to provide better protection of human rights in New Zealand in general accordance with United Nations Covenants or Conventions on Human Rights

BE IT ENACTED by the Parliament of New Zealand as follows:

1.       Short Title and commencement---(1) This Act may be cited as the Human Rights Act 1993.

 (2) This Act shall come into force on the 1st day of February 1994.

2. Interpretation---In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--- `

`Commission'' means the Human Rights Commission that is continued by section 4 of this Act: ``Commissioner'' means a member of the Commission:

``Complaints Division'' means the Complaints Division referred to in section 12 (1) of this Act: ``Complaints Review Tribunal'' or ``Tribunal'' means the Complaints Review Tribunal that is continued by section 93 of this Act:

``Dispose'', in sections 53 and 54 of this Act, includes sell, assign, lease, let, sublease, sublet, license, or mortgage, and agree to dispose:

``Employer'', in Part II of this Act, includes--- (a) The employer of an independent contractor; and (b) The person for whom work is done by contract workers pursuant to a contract between that person and the person who supplies those contract workers; and (c) The person for whom work is done by an unpaid worker;--- and ``employment'', in Part II of this Act, has a corresponding meaning:

``Employment contract'' has the meaning given to that term by section 2 of the Employment Contracts Act 1991:

``Minister'' means the Minister of Justice:

``Proceedings Commissioner'' means the Proceedings Commissioner appointed under section 7 (1) (d) of this Act:

``Prohibited ground of discrimination'' has the meaning given to it by section 21 of this Act: ``Race Relations Conciliator'' or ``Conciliator'' means the Commissioner appointed to be the Race Relations Conciliator under section 7 (1) (b) of this Act:

``Relative'', in relation to any person, means any other person who--- (a) Is related to the person by blood, marriage, affinity, or adoption; or (b) Is wholly or mainly dependent on the person; or (c) Is a member of the person's household: ``Residential accommodation'', in sections 53 and 54 of this Act, includes accommodation in a dwellinghouse, flat, hotel, motel, boardinghouse, or camping ground:

``Superannuation scheme'' means any superannuation scheme, fund, or plan, or any provident fund, set up to confer, on its members or other persons, retirement or other benefits, such as accident, disability, sickness, or death benefits:

``Trustees'', in relation to a superannuation scheme, includes the person or persons appointed to administer a superannuation scheme constituted under an Act of Parliament of New Zealand. [Cf. 1977, No. 49, ss. 2, 15 (13), 25 (5); 1983, No. 56, s. 4 (4); 1992, No. 16, s. 2 (3); 1993, No. 35, s. 3 (3)]