The Office of Human Rights Proceedings Te Tari Whakatau Take Tika Tangata Report to the Minister on the Director of Human Rights Proceedings’ decisions The Director of Human Rights Proceedings is required to report annually to the Minister on the Director’s decisions following applications for free legal representation in the Human Rights Review Tribunal (Tribunal).12 The Office has had a busy year of decisionmaking, settlement negotiations and appearances at the Tribunal. COVID-19 has had some impact on a number of cases which were scheduled to be heard by the Tribunal but the ability of the Director and staff to work remotely, when required, has enabled the Office to continue with most of its work uninterrupted. The Office has been strengthened during the reporting year by the appointment of a new Auckland-based solicitor. Michael Timmins is the Director of Human Rights Proceedings where his office brings cases under the Human Rights and Privacy Acts to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. Prior to taking up this appointment, he had worked internationally as an expert on international human rights law. Summary of decisions made The Director made 65 decisions on applications for representation in the Tribunal. Of those, the Director decided to grant representation to 19 applicants: 10 grants were for representation in the Tribunal, and nine were for representation for settlement attempts. One additional matter was formally referred back to the Human Rights Commission for mediation. Thirty-eight decisions were made not to provide representation; and seven to take no further action. Expressed as a percentage, the Director provided representation to 30 percent of applicants overall. The proportion of decisions for complaints made under Part 1A as against Part 2 of the Human Rights Act 1993 Some 40 percent of the decisions made concerned complaints under Part 1A of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA)13 as against 60 percent that concerned complaints under Part 2 of the HRA. Under s 92A(4) of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA) the Director must report to the Minister at least once each year and, without referring to identifiable individuals concerned, on the Director’s decisions under s 90(1)(a) (applications for representation in the Human Rights Review Tribunal in respect to enforcing settlement) and s 90(1)(c) (applications for representation in the Tribunal in respect to complaints under the HRA). 13 Part 1A applies to unlawful discrimination complaints against Government agencies or persons or bodies performing public acts pursuant to law (other than complaints about employment discrimination, racial disharmony, racial harassment, sexual harassment, and victimisation). 12 24 Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2019/20