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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 18h

Great article Andrew.

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Reposted by Paul Thistoll

Andrew Jull NZRN @andrewjull.bsky.social · 18h

Meanwhile another paper reveals just how rubbish the Cass Report was - www.mja.com.au/journal/2025...

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 18h

Oh good work! My media release still stands - I would love a joint release!

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 18h

Yes I saw that!

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 18h

Right, who's up to fund a NZBORA inconsistency challenge when this becomes law?

Rights Aotearoa @rightsaotearoa.bsky.social · 19h

🔽🔽🔽Emergency media release 🔽🔽🔽

The F&E select committee reported back yesterday.
98.7% of 166k submissions against the Regulatory Standards Bill.

But the Govt is going ahead.

"This is an attempted constitutional coup d'état by other means." - Paul Thistoll

www.rightsaotearoa.nz/media-releas...

Media Release: Rights Aotearoa calls for united Opposition commitment to repeal the Regulatory Standards Act in the first 30 days of any future left-wing coalition government, should the Bill become l...

The select committee's report, released yesterday, represents only cosmetic adjustments to legislation that remains fundamentally unconstitutional, anti-democratic, and catastrophically harmful to hum...

www.rightsaotearoa.nz

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 19h

As one of the orgs that was privileged enough to be able to present an oral submission on the RSB to we are about to issue an emergency press release saying the opposition leaders must issue a joint statement saying they will repeal the law should the bill pass.

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/...

The Act leader's proposed legislation has been contentious for a list of reasons.

www.nzherald.co.nz

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 20h

You're a lovely human being Danielle, you deserve another dog! :-)

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Reposted by Paul Thistoll

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 5d

Your regular reminder that Rights Aotearoa supports—at a minimum—the following carve-outs from free speech:

- Incitement to violence
- Defamation
- Incitement in the age of algorithms - a trickier area
- Hate speech - we like the group libel approaches.

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 21h

I oppose all blasphemy laws.
Hate speech protections must target harm directed at people—at groups and individuals who can experience discrimination and violence.

Religious ideas and concepts can be critiqued, satirised, and challenged without restriction.

Religious freedom, too, is a human right.

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 21h

I am presenting to the G&A Select Committee at 8 am on Wednesday, 15th October, on the Public Service Amendment Bill.
These are my remarks - I would like to practise them tomorrow (12 Oct) at 7 pm on a Zoom. If you would like to help me prepare, please drop me a DM with your email and name.

Kia ora koutou katoa Ms Belich and honourable committee members,
1. I am Paul Thistoll, CEO of Rights Aotearoa. I appear before you today to deliver
what I hope will be the most important testimony you hear on this Bill. I contend I
am uniquely qualified to comment on this proposed legislation because I am both a
human rights professional and the holder of a Master’s degree in business strategy,
organisational science, and leadership from LBS - London Business School. This
proposed legislation engages issues at the intersection of human rights and
organisational strategy.
2. I am very proud of having been accepted into LBS, it was an unbelievably
competitive entry process and completing the full-time taught degree onsite in
London for a year was one of the most intense work periods of my life. I attended
intimate talks from dozens of leaders and a few sports coaches – two I remember
vividly were Paul McGinley – the European Ryder Cup captain and Eddie Jones on
how to build high-performing teams.
3. But now I sit before you, back in Aotearoa, a kiwi commenting on a proposed Bill
which — in my opinion — represents one of the most catastrophically evidencedefying
pieces of legislation ever proposed in New Zealand's history. I do not make
this statement lightly. I make it based on decades of world-leading organisational
research that this Bill completely ignores.
So let’s crack into it.
4. The first and overarching reason that we should reject the DEI-destroying
provisions of this bill is that they are based on an entirely false Premise.
5. The Bill's proponents claim diversity undermines merit. This is demonstrably,
empirically, categorically false. I will now present extremely strong evidence from
London Business School - one of the world's premier business research institutions
- that demonstrates the exact opposite.

8. Ibarra's concept of the "authenticity paradox" is particularly damning for this Bill. When marginalised people are told to "just be yourself" in workplaces designed for others, they face an impossible choice: conform and lose their identity, or remain authentic and be excluded. DEI frameworks resolve this paradox by broadening what leadership looks like.
9. Removing these frameworks doesn't enhance merit - it restores the old boys' network. We end up with a public sector that looks like the Vienna Philharmonic – not the New York Phil. (Famously, the New York-based orchestra much more closely resembles the output of global and American music schools, whilst the Vienna-based orchestra looks more like our PM.)
10. Professor Ioannis Ioannou's Research: The Performance Imperative: Now let me present Professor Ioannou's groundbreaking research on organisational performance. His 18-year longitudinal study, published in Management Science, tracked companies that adopted comprehensive ESG principles - of which DEI is a critical component.
11. The results:
• High Sustainability companies showed 4.8% higher annual returns
• Superior return on assets and equity
• Better operational efficiency
• Greater resilience during economic downturns
Let me be crystal clear: organisations with strong DEI frameworks financially outperform those without them.
12. This isn't correlation. Ioannou's research establishes causation through sophisticated econometric analysis. Companies in the top quartile for diversity show 36% higher profitability. While public service doesn't measure profit, equivalent gains in efficiency and effectiveness would transform government performance.
13. The Bill's proposal to eliminate DEI is equivalent to a high-performing company suddenly abandoning its winning strategy. In the private sector, this would be considered managerial malpractice. Directors would be sued for breach of fiduciary duty.

16. International Disasters We're About to Repeat: Committee members, we have real-time evidence of what happens when governments eliminate DEI:
a. United States Federal Government, 2025:
• 23% resignation rate among employees of colour within three months
• 78% of terminated DEI positions were women of colour
• Service delivery failures spiked 34%
• Constitutional crises and ongoing litigation
These aren't projections. This is happening right now. And you want to import this kind of disaster to New Zealand?

17. The New Zealand Context: This Bill would:
• Breach our Te Tiriti obligations requiring active protection of Māori interests
• Violate international human rights treaties we've ratified, including CEDAW and ICCPR
• Potentially trigger mass resignations costing hundreds of millions
• Create legal chaos and years of litigation
• Destroy public service capability for a generation
(The only government department in favour of this bill will be Crown Law, as they will be in demand managing legal actions against it).

18. I would conservatively estimate the economic cost of this bill to be over 4 billion over the first 5 years of implementation. That's billion with a B. How did I get this number? After subtracting direct transfers (like welfare/superann) and costs of debt financing, the total public sector OPEX spend is about 89 billion NZD a year. So imagine we lose just 2 per cent of productivity and efficiency on that number, and we have 3 per cent more staff turnover.
19. (Extra detail for questions) That includes actual costs, and lost productivity, employee turnover, and efficiency losses and performance and organisational effectiveness hits. That's $250-500 million annually in turnover costs, $500 million in productivity losses, plus litigation and service delivery failures.

20. As well as being qualified in business, I am a human rights professional and in terms of human rights, I tautoko the Human Rights Commission’s excellent written and oral submissions. This bill is both an organisational disaster area and a human rights nightmare. I am focussing on the organisational aspects for time reasons.
21. So to bring this all together – in conclusion: Honourable Committee members, we need to acknowledge the Truth About Merit—true meritocracy cannot exist without mechanisms to identify and eliminate bias. When you remove DEI frameworks, you don't get merit-based selection. You get what Professor Ibarra calls "homophily" - people hiring people like themselves.
22. The false choice between merit and diversity is a con. Excellence requires inclusion. Merit demands diversity. Every piece of credible research confirms this.
23. This Bill represents wilful ignorance of overwhelming evidence. It's the policy equivalent of arguing the Earth is flat in the face of satellite imagery.
24. If you proceed with this Bill, you will:
• Destroy decades of progress
• Waste billions of dollars
• Harm vulnerable communities
• Violate legal obligations
• Ignore our domestic and international human rights obligations
• Cripple public service effectiveness
• Completely throw Te Tiriti o Waitangi out the window.

25. So what would Eddie Jones say about this bill (LBS had rules about confidentiality, so I can’t repeat verbatim) – well, based on what he has publicly said–he would say it’s a losing formula. His approach to building high-performance teams was categorically diverse, because there are always high-performing individuals available, but making them into a team is the hard part. He also emphasises the importance of authenticity and psychological safety – DEI is critical and enabling these.
26. DEI is the winning formula for both rugby teams and the public service.

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 22h

The easiest part of our advocacy is that the enemies of universal human rights push their unfettered free speech line so aggressively that it makes them look utterly unhinged.

Everything is a free speech problem to Franks because the only hammer in his toolkit is NZBORA (and he forgets s5!).

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 23h

New Zealand doesn’t have a First Amendment — we have Parliamentary sovereignty and NZBORA. Our Parliament banned conversion therapy because it harms people. If Stephen Franks wants US-style “freedom” to abuse LGBTQIA+ kids, he can move there.

Absolutely, this dude utterly sucks!

Many will know a parent who may be doomed to this desperate state - with no way out. Even if they’ve only permitted or aided their innocent child’s groomers without authorising surgery or drugs, some will be haunted. Can they undo the harm? Could they have prevented it?

My firm is trying to help a number of parents who are doing all they can while they can to protect their deluded children.
It is an outrage that the Parliamentarians who passed the conversion therapy ban, despite its direct conflict with freedom of speech, are tolerating the prevarication of Minister Doocey over dangerous ‘gender-affirming’ hormone ‘therapy’ for children

The US Supreme Court is likely to invalidate conversion therapy bans shortly, as contrary to the First Amendment (freedom of speech).

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 22h

I want to nominate Stephen Franks for the anti-peace prize.

Quite simply, he is the most distasteful person in NZ public life right now. He calls our judiciary "corrupt" and has had his hateful conduct referred to the Law Society's national standards committee (we are awaiting the outcome).

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 23h

New Zealand doesn’t have a First Amendment — we have Parliamentary sovereignty and NZBORA. Our Parliament banned conversion therapy because it harms people. If Stephen Franks wants US-style “freedom” to abuse LGBTQIA+ kids, he can move there.

Absolutely, this dude utterly sucks!

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Reposted by Paul Thistoll

👻 Pablo Hidalghost 👻 @infinata.bsky.social · 1d

They should give him the first annual Montgomery Burns award for outstanding achievement in the field of excellence.

Kenny Mayne @kennymayne.bsky.social · 1d

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Reposted by Paul Thistoll

Jennifer @jennifilm.nz · 6d

I relied on the benefit as a 17yo - mum had moved back home to Ōtautahi and wasn’t financially able to support me. Accessing winz support was unbelievably challenging, but it was absolutely essential. This is yet another cruel decision from a cruel government.

David Cormack @davidcormack.bsky.social · 6d

god help me. this is just cruelty. these are human beings, you monsters.

'The world doesn’t owe you a living’: PM says 4300 teens will lose Jobseeker benefit next year

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

I sincerely hope the moderator at the FSU panel on protest rights asks Brian Tamaki about his inflammatory rhetoric, specifically quoting Corinthians to advocate for taking up weapons.

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

Oh exciting - Sir Stephen Hough! www.nzso.co.nz/the-nzso/eve...

NZSO Season 2026: Enigma | New Zealand Symphony Orchestra | NZSO

www.nzso.co.nz

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Reposted by Paul Thistoll

Tim @timward2014.bsky.social · 3d

Perhaps a journalist could do a little deep dive into the NZ Salmon industry. Not everyone is aware, but the slight increase in water temperature has already fucked the industry real hard. Currently attempting to relocate everywhere because existing salmon farms are no longer viable.
#nzpol

PERFECTLY NORMAL @nzpom.com · 3d

PERFECTLY NORMAL

New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk, report finds

NZ$180bn worth of housing and $26bn of infrastructure at risk of flooding and storm damage, new government report finds

www.theguardian.com

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

I thoroughly recommend this book.

www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...

Is Free Speech Racist?

Is Free Speech Racist?, The question of free speech is never far from the headlines and frequently declared to be in crisis

www.politybooks.com

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

I make the point below about neo-liberalism advisedly.

As you know, I studied at the high temple of capitalism, LBS, and I came away more determined than ever to fight for a just and fair world.

The FSU exists to promote unfettered free speech, which pushes the Overton window to the far right.

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

Universal human rights are for everyone, so Rights Aotearoa is by the people, for the people, all the time.

Unlike the FSU, I don't serve neo-liberal masters. I serve you.

If you want to give me direct feedback on our advocacy work or make any suggestions, my email is [email protected]

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

Universal human rights are for everyone, so Rights Aotearoa is by the people, for the people, all the time.

Unlike the FSU, I don't serve neo-liberal masters. I serve you.

If you want to give me direct feedback on our advocacy work or make any suggestions, my email is [email protected]

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

Please sign up for the Rights Aotearoa mailing list! Details 🔽🔽🔽

Rights Aotearoa @rightsaotearoa.bsky.social · 2d

Are you subscribed to our mailing list? Please sign up to get a weekly newsletter and occasional other dispatches from the front lines of the defence of human rights.

Sign up using the link in this week's newsletter 🔽🔽🔽

www.rightsaotearoa.nz/rights-aotea...

Rights Aotearoa Newsletter #3

It's Been a Week

www.rightsaotearoa.nz

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 2d

Exactly.

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 3d

Human rights are not a priority for the government at this time.

Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 4d

Letter from Goldsmith to Rights Aotearoa about the Ia Tangata report.

"Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time."

The Law Commission’s Ia Tangata report Thank you for your email and accompanying letter of 9 September 2025, regarding your concerns about the Law Commission’s (the Commission) report: Ia ‘Tangata Protections in the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, people who are non-binary and people with innate variations of sex characteristics’. The Commission has made 27 recommendations for reform of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA). The Commission’s central recommendation is to add two prohibited grounds of discrimination to the HRA, which are: 1. gender identity or its equivalents in the culture of a person, and 2. having an innate variation of sex characteristics. The Commission also makes recommendations on how the 19 existing exceptions which allow, in prescribed circumstances, discrimination based on sex in the private sector, should apply to the two new prohibited grounds. The Commission’s report covers a number of complex questions and will attract a range of views. As Minister of Justice, I will be receiving advice over the coming months about the Commission’s recommendations. Whilst I do not want to predetermine the Government’s response, we have significant commitments and priorities in the Justice portfolio to restore law and order and improve timeliness in the courts. Therefore, progressing the Commission’s recommendations is not a priority for the Government at this time. The Government will formally respond to the recommendations from the Commission as required, by the beginning of March 2026. I acknowledge your request to meet with me, however, I regret that I am unable to meet with you at this time. Thank you for taking the time to write. Yours sincerely

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Paul Thistoll @pault.bsky.social · 3d

Already on it!

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