Over the weekend, the ACT Party unveiled a policy package targeting the very issue Hobson’s Pledge has fought against for years: the systemic embedding of division and race-based distinction in our public institutions.
David Seymour announced that, if re-elected, ACT intends to reform the Public Service around core principles of equal treatment, individual freedom, political and religious neutrality, and clear accountability for results.
Specifically, ACT has pledged to:
End race-based appointments: Repealing explicit hiring mandates in the Public Service Act and Crown Entities Act, replacing them with appointments based strictly on merit, capability, and performance.
Deliver services based on need, not race: Writing into law that government agencies must prioritise services according to actual human need rather than ethnicity.
Separate spiritual practices from state work: Ending mandatory or employer-initiated prayers, karakia, and spiritual practices within government agencies so taxpayers are no longer funding spiritual activity on official time.
Remove cultural ideology from job criteria: Stopping the practice of screening applicants against adherence to specific cultural concepts, including Te Ao Māori, when irrelevant to the actual job.
Now, Hobson's Pledge supporters like yourself will notice ACT using the phrase "One Law for All."
That phrasing has been the bedrock slogan of Hobson’s Pledge since day one, and Hobson's Pledge is happy to share.
It doesn't matter who uses the words - what matters is getting the job done.
Seeing these ideas shift from the supposed political margins and right into mainstream party policy is a major win for common sense.
However, a policy announcement is only the first step.
We have seen this situation before. Take the current Parliamentary term’s "English first" policy for government agencies.
It was launched with great fanfare, yet in practice, implementation has been patchy at best as entrenched bureaucracies quietly ignore political directives.
Good policy requires iron-clad political will to carry out.
Hobson’s Pledge strongly welcomes ACT targeting the actual legislative framework that embeds these divisive mandates. We will be pushing hard to ensure these reforms are locked into any future coalition negotiations.
And just like every other political party, we will be holding ACT to its promises, ensuring they are fully delivered, not diluted.
Equal rights for every New Zealander is a principle worth fighting for, and it is encouraging to see the tide turning.
