Rainbow Labour is the LGBTQIA+ sector of the
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party ( mi, Rōpū Reipa o Aotearoa), or simply Labour (), is a centre-left political party in New Zealand. The party's platform programme describes its founding principle as democratic socialism, while observers descr ...
.
History
Rainbow Labour began as a branch within
Chris Carter's Auckland
Waipareira
Waipareira was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate that existed for one parliamentary term from 1996 to 1999. Located in West Auckland, it was held by Brian Neeson of the New Zealand National Party, who had narrowly beaten Labour's Chris Car ...
electorate on 17 March 1997 following his narrow defeat in the election the previous year. That same year,
Tim Barnett, newly elected to Parliament as an openly gay man, established a Rainbow Special Branch in Christchurch on 3 October 1997. During the next few years the branches expanded in size, with the Auckland branch becoming one of the largest in the Labour Party. This led to the formation of a Rainbow Sector within the Labour Party, which gave the branches a nationwide focus and co-ordinating body. In 2004, at a vote at the Party's Annual Conference, Rainbow Labour was invited to nominate candidates for a permanent representative position elected from the floor of Conference, on the Party's controlling body, the New Zealand Council.
Rainbow Caucus
Rainbow Members of Parliament (MPs) work closely with Rainbow Labour, and has included gay men
Chris Carter,
Tim Barnett, and lesbian MP
Maryan Street
Maryan Street (born 5 April 1955) is a New Zealand unionist and former member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, having been elected to parliament in the 2005 general election as a member of the New Zealand Labour Party. She served ...
, and transgender MP
Georgina Beyer
Georgina Beyer (born November 1957) is a New Zealand politician and former Labour Party Member of Parliament. In 1995 she was elected mayor of Carterton, making her the world's first openly transgender mayor. In 2005 she became the world's fi ...
. During 2006
Charles Chauvel became an MP when a vacancy arose; similarly
Louisa Wall
Louisa Hareruia Wall (born 17 February 1972) is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 2011 to 2022. She has represented New Zealand in both netball as a Silver Fern and rugby union as a membe ...
entered Parliament in 2008 following a resignation (although she was not re-elected at the general election later that year), and
Grant Robertson
Grant Murray Robertson (born 30 October 1971) is a New Zealand politician and member of the Labour Party who has served as the 19th deputy prime minister of New Zealand since 2020 and the minister of Finance since 2017. He has served as Membe ...
was elected as the MP for Wellington Central in 2008.
Louisa Wall
Louisa Hareruia Wall (born 17 February 1972) is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 2011 to 2022. She has represented New Zealand in both netball as a Silver Fern and rugby union as a membe ...
re-entered Parliament on the resignation of
Darren Hughes
Darren Colyn Hughes (born 3 April 1978) is a New Zealand former Member of Parliament between 2002 and 2011, first elected at the age of 24. He represented the New Zealand Labour Party, Labour Party and was a Minister outside Cabinet in the Fift ...
in 2011, and left in 2022. Current MPs in Rainbow Caucus also include
Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall,
Hon Meka Whaitiri,
Hon Kiri Allan,
Tāmati Coffey
Tamati Gerald Coffey (born 19 September 1979) is a list Member of the New Zealand Parliament for the New Zealand Labour Party. Prior to entering Parliament, he was most notably an award-winning broadcaster fronting many shows over a decade, for ...
,
Shanan Halbert
Shanan Kiritea Halbert (born 1982) is a New Zealand politician. As of 2020 he is a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.
Early life and career
Halbert has affiliation to Rongowhakaata and Ngāti Whitikaupek ...
, and
Glen Bennett
Glen Thomas Bennett is a New Zealand politician and a member of the Labour Party. He was elected the Member of the Parliament for New Plymouth at the 2020 New Zealand general election, defeating the National candidate and incumbent Jonathan Yo ...
.
Policies and issues
Issues Rainbow Labour has advanced within the Labour Party have included relationship property reform, human rights reforms, the
Civil Union Act, which was passed in 2004, and the
Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill
The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand, which since 19 August 2013, allows same-sex couples to legally marry.
The Act was proposed as a member's bill by MP Louisa Wall in May 2012, and wa ...
which passed in April 2013 and was brought to Parliament via a Members Bill under Louisa Wall's name.
On 15 February 2022, the
Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill passed its third and final reading. The Bill was brought to Parliament as a result of a joint petition presented by
Young Greens and
Young Labour on 14 August 2018. That petition initially resulted in a Members Bill placed in the ballot by Labour MP
Marja Lubeck
Maria Josina Elisabeth "Marja" Lubeck (born 1965) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the Labour Party.
Early life and family
Lubeck was born in the Netherlands, the eldest child of Valentin ...
. Rainbow Labour submitted evidence in support of the legislation at the Select Committee process.
In elections since 1999, the Labour Party has published pamphlets advertising Labour's LGBTQIA+ candidates. This is thought to be a world first by a mainstream national political party. The Party later began including rainbow policies in its manifesto, which in 2020, included banning conversion therapy, better access, support and treatment through the health system, more funding for rainbow mental health services, and creating more inclusive school and work environments.
See also
*
LGBT in New Zealand
New Zealand society is generally accepting of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples. The LGBT-friendly environment is epitomised by the fact that there are several members of Parliament who belong to the LGBT community, LGBT right ...
*
LGBT rights in New Zealand
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in New Zealand are among the most progressive in the world, and the country is considered to be gay-friendly. The protection of LGBT rights is advanced, relative to other countries in Oceani ...
References
External links
NZ Rainbow Labour
{{NZ Labour Party
LGBT political advocacy groups in New Zealand
New Zealand Labour Party
LGBT affiliate organizations of political parties