Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister for COVID-19 Response) on behalf of the Minister of Justice: The Chief Human Rights Commissioner has an explicit duty set out in the Crown Entities Act to be independent and free from the direction of Ministers or Government policy. Section 19 of the Human Rights Act also requires that the Human Rights Commission act independently in performing its statutory duties and functions. It would be inappropriate for the Minister of Justice to exert political influence on the Chief Human Rights Commissioner in exercising those responsibilities. To do so could have a chilling effect on the role, given the commissioner's legislative responsibilities to independently promote human rights.