Stephen Laurence Rainbow (born 26 January 1961) is a New Zealand public servant and former local-body politician.
Stephen Rainbow | |
|---|---|
| Chief Human Rights Commissioner | |
| Assumed office 11 November 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Hunt |
| Member of the Wellington City Council for Southern Ward | |
| In office 14 October 1995 – 10 October 1998 Serving with Celia Wade-Brown, Sue Piper, John Gilberthorpe | |
| Preceded by | Peter Parussini |
| Succeeded by | Alick Shaw |
| Member of the Wellington City Council for Lambton Ward | |
| In office 14 October 1989 – 14 October 1995 Serving with Terry McDavitt, Russell Armitage, Rex Nicholls, Liz Thomas | |
| Preceded by | Margaret Bonner |
| Succeeded by | Ward abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 January 1961 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour Party (1977–84) Green Party (1989–95) Progressive Green (1995–99) National (1999) |
| Alma mater | Victoria University of Wellington |
Early life
editStephen Rainbow was born in Christchurch in 1961. He grew up on a tobacco farm south of Nelson and was educated in Richmond at Waimea College.[1] Later he attended Victoria University of Wellington from 1982 and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts, and in 1991 with a PhD in Political Science.[2]
Rainbow and his partner Anna Frusin (who was born in the Soviet Union) had three children together; Alexandra, Larissa and Solomon.[2]
Political career
editRainbow became politically active in the 1970s joining the Labour Party and served on Labour's New Zealand Council.[2] In 1983 he contested the Labour nomination to replace retiring party leader Bill Rowling in the Tasman seat, but lost to Ken Shirley.[1][3] He did not renew his membership in 1984 and later joined the newly formed Green Party and stood for election in 1989 for the Wellington City Council on a Green ticket. He was successful and became the country's first Green councillor.[4] The next year he contested the seat of Wellington Central for the Greens at the 1990 general election, finishing third out of seven candidates.[5] Rainbow was opposed to the Green Party's decision to join the Alliance and declined to stand for them in the seat at the 1992 Wellington Central by-election. There were rumours that Rainbow would instead be approached by Labour (which he was formerly a member of) to stand for them. A Labour official downplayed the rumour but did not rule out the possibility. Rainbow himself said he had no official approach from Labour and stated in any event he wished to concentrate on his role as a Wellington City Councillor.[6]
Rainbow was re-elected to the Wellington City Council in 1992 and 1995. On both occasions he also stood for Mayor without success, finishing fourth in 1992 and seventh in 1995.[7][8]
By 1994 Rainbow was a leading voice of the opposition to the Green Party's membership of the Alliance, a broad left-wing coalition, thinking the Alliance's emphasis on social justice type issues detracted focus from environmental issues.[9][10] In 1995 Rainbow co-founded the Progressive Green Party, a "Bluegreen" environmentalist party with a more right-wing emphasis.
In 1998 Rainbow decided not to seek re-election. By that time the Progressive Greens had disbanded and most members had joined the "Bluegreen" wing of the National Party, including Rainbow. At the 1999 general election, he stood as a list only candidate for National, ranked 51st. With a relatively low ranking he was not allocated a seat.[11]
Other activities
editIn the 2010s Rainbow was the manager of Auckland Transport's key relationships unit.[12]
Rainbow is also a gay rights activist. He served as Chairman of Auckland-based phone support and LGBT advocacy service OUTLine and also a board member of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation.[13] He campaigned for same sex marriage reform. [14]
In 2021 Rainbow was criticised for social media posts seen as transphobic.[15] The comments were made regarding a petition to ban conversion therapy. Rainbow denied he was transphobic.[16]
Chief Human Rights Commissioner
editIn August 2024, he was appointed to be New Zealand's Chief Human Rights Commissioner from November 2024 by Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith.[17] Left-wing blogger Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury and The Spinoff editor Madeleine Chapman criticised Rainbow's appointment, citing his alleged transphobic and pro-Israel views.[18][19] In mid-October 2024, Chapman reported that the independent panel set up to shortlist and interview candidates for the role did not recommend Rainbow. Goldsmith had pressed for Rainbow's appointment as Chief Human Rights Commissioner.[20]
Notes
edit- ^ a b Naylor, Shani (8 January 1990). "Green's a Good Colour for Steve Rainbow". The Evening Post.
- ^ a b c Taylor 1998, pp. 613.
- ^ "Labour contender for Tasman". The Press. 15 August 1983. p. 2.
- ^ Zatorski, Lidia (7 April 1999). "Green Rainbow could be on Blues party list". The Evening Post. p. 3.
- ^ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990.
- ^ Edwards, Brent (13 October 1992). "Rainbow tipped as Labour possibility". The Evening Post. p. 3.
- ^ Bly, Ross (1992). City of Wellington: Local Body Elections, 1992 (Report). Wellington City Council.
- ^ "How You Voted". The Evening Post. 9 October 1995. p. 14.
- ^ Scherer, Karyn (3 May 1994). "Dissident Greens may form new party". The Evening Post.
- ^ Edwards, Brent (16 May 1994). "Breakaway party no threat, says Alliance leader". The Evening Post.
- ^ "Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ "Rail-link property owners being sounded out". The New Zealand Herald. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ^ "Stephen Rainbow becomes new OUTLine Chair". GayNZ.com. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
- ^ "Stephen Rainbow: Anti gay diatribe just as hurtful". The New Zealand Herald. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ^ "Auckland Transport investigating manager's Facebook post about gay conversion therapy". Stuff. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
- ^ McConnell, Glenn; Stanford, Emma (19 August 2024). "New human rights chief says comments on 'trans agenda' and Israel-Gaza war won't be an issue". Stuff. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ "New leadership announced for Human Rights Commission". RNZ. 17 August 2024. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Bradbury, Martyn (19 August 2024). "Installing Israeli Apologist and Free Speech Stormtrooper onto Human Rights Commission undermines our collective human rights mana". The Daily Blog. Archived from the original on 19 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Chapman, Madeleine (17 August 2024). "Can you be a human rights commissioner and transphobic at the same time?". The Spinoff. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Chapman, Madeleine (14 October 2024). "Controversial human rights commissioners weren't recommended by hiring panel". The Spinoff.