Inquiry into the right to a decent home in Aotearoa The Human Rights Act 1993, which establishes the Human Rights Commission, is designed: “to provide better protection of human rights in New Zealand in general accordance with United Nations Covenants or Conventions on Human Rights”.i The Act sets out the Commission’s primary functions, the first of which is: “to advocate and promote respect for, and an understanding and appreciation of, human rights in New Zealand society”. Additionally, the Act gives the Commission numerous specific functions, including: “to inquire generally into any matter, including any enactment or law, or any practice, or any procedure, whether governmental or non-governmental, if it appears to the Commission that the matter involves, or may involve, the infringement of human rights”.ii In accordance with its statutory functions, the Commission has launched an Inquiry into the right to a decent home in Aotearoa. In a series of initiatives, the Housing Inquiry aims to provide constructive recommendations on ways that the right to a decent home, grounded on te Tiriti o Waitangi, can contribute to a fair and dynamic housing system. The Inquiry applies Aratohu Tika Tangata ki te Whai Whare Rawaka i Aotearoa: Framework Guidelines on the Right to a Decent Home in Aotearoa, published by the Commission in August 2021, as a lens through which to consider the housing system. The Housing Inquiry is designed to advance the Human Rights Commission guiding purpose, Te Whakamana Tāngata: A Life of Dignity for All. (Strategic Direction, 2020-2024) i Human Rights Act 1993, section 5(1)(a). ii Section 5(2)(h). 1