A last-ditch attempt to stop anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull from entering the country has been dismissed.
Auckland Pride, Gender Minorities Aotearoa and InsideOUT Kōaro had filed a judicial review of an Immigration New Zealand decision to allow the activist known as Posie Parker to visit this weekend.
Keen-Minshull wasn’t represented at the review, but the Free Speech Union was allowed to join proceedings as an “intervener”.
INZ had said there is no reason to believe Keen-Minshull is or is likely to be a threat or risk to the public order or public interest.
The rainbow groups were represented by Tiho Mijatov, who told the court that allowing the activist into the country breached prohibition rules set as part of the country’s immigration law.
“This isn’t really about people having different ideas and being able to express them,” he said.
Mijatov said there’s evidence Keen-Minshull has transphobic views and is a figure in rallies that leads to anger and violence.
He pointed to a recent rally held by Keen-Minshull in Melbourne where a group of people described as neo-Nazis with far-right beliefs were in attendance.
Auckland Pride's Max Tweedie and Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley both say the Government have let down rainbow communities. (Source: Breakfast)
Mijatov argued that Keen-Minshull’s visit would likely cause harm to transgender people, an already vulnerable community, if a court order is not made.
He said he doesn’t accept a high threshold is needed for a discretionary Government response - all that is needed to trigger that is the “Minister’s reasonable belief.”
However, the judge ruled INZ's decision was lawful and dismissed the attempt to block her entry into the country.
Keen-Minshull is expected to arrive today.
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