Sometimes you win

For the past year, Green MP Catherine Delahunty has had a bill in the ballot (and now before the House) to amend the Human Rights Act to require the government to appoint a specific disability commissioner within the Human Rights Commission. Today, the government adopted that proposal:

Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia today announced further measures to promote, protect and monitor the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The measures include the establishment of a full-time Disability Rights Commissioner within the Human Rights Commission, a protection and monitoring role for the Office of the Ombudsmen and resourcing a formalised role for disabled persons' organisations.

[...]

Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan has welcomed the Government's decision to establish the position of a full-time Disability Rights Commissioner and will in the interim personally hold the designation jointly with EEO Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor.

Its a nice example of how a member's bill can force the government to do the right thing (and this is the right thing), and a solid achievement for Delahunty. Hopefully there'll be many more.