Race Relations Commissioner Dr Melissa Derby has relaunched an updated policy on religious diversity, the first revision in nearly seven years.
Originally released in 2007, the statement has now been updated after wide-ranging engagement with religious and faith groups. Derby said faith communities have written to her expressing safety concerns, pointing to both online and overt public displays as sources of threat.
In a milestone for the 2023 Census, more than half of New Zealanders reported no religious affiliation for the first time since the question was included, with 51.6% identifying with no religion. Despite this, 45% have faith as an integral part of their lives.
Derby acknowledged "recent race-based attacks either online or in person" but said shared values across religious traditions, including service to others and a desire for peace, offer a foundation for unity. "But diversity does not need to be a source of division for the rest of us," she said.
The updated statement includes a foreword from the Prime Minister in which he says New Zealand is stronger because of its diverse faith communities. The policy is available on the website of Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission.