New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006

New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006
New Zealand Parliament
Enacted by	House of Representatives
Royal assent	10 April 2006[1]
Commenced	10 April 2006
Legislative history
Introduced by	Hon. Ruth Dyson
Introduced	7 April 2004
First reading	22 June 2004
Second reading	23 February 2006
Third reading	6 April 2006
Summary
Recognising New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) as New Zealand's third official language
Status: In force

The New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 is an act of the New Zealand Parliament recognising New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) as New Zealand's third official language.

Background

Historically, NZSL users have been subject to social deprivation due to the lack of recognition [2]

In April 2006, the New Zealand Government announced that New Zealand Sign Language would become New Zealand's third official language following English and Maori, which would allow the ability to use and access NZSL in legal proceedings, including in court.[3]

Impact

Five years after the bill passed, many public services were still inaccessible in NZSL.[4]

Recognising NZSL as an official language of New Zealand, Air New Zealand released updates to its in-flight videos making them accessible in NZSL.[5]

See also

• British Sign Language Act 2022
• Accessible Canada Act
• Irish Sign Language Act 2017

References

1. "New Zealand Sign Language Bill 2004: Bills Digest No 1088". New Zealand Parliament. 8 April 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2007.
2. Locker McKee, Rachel (1 January 2006). "The Eyes Have It! Our Third Official Language: New Zealand Sign Language". Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. 4 (5): 129–148. doi:10.26686/jnzs.v0i4/5.112. Retrieved 18 July 2024. Because the sign languages of Deaf people have been historically denigrated as less than fully language-like and even conducive to social deprivation, discussion of their political status necessarily starts by confirming that they possess the characteristics of natural human languages.
3. Dyson, Ruth (7 April 2006). "NZ Sign Language to be third official language". Beehive.govt.nz. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 18 July 2024. The immediate effect of the New Zealand Sign Language Bill, which is expected to pass this afternoon after its third reading, will be to provide people with the right to use and access New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) in legal proceedings, including in court.
4. Locker McKee, Rachel (1 August 2011). "Action Pending: Four Years on from the New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006". Victoria University of Wellington Law Review. 42 (2): 277–298. doi:10.26686/vuwlr.v42i2.5133. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
5. "Air New Zealand takes sign language to the skies with the launch of NZ Sign Language Week '24". Karryon. New Beach Co. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024. "We're thrilled we could support NZSL Week and recognise its importance as an official language of Aotearoa by encouraging our crew to show their signing skills on this flight," Collett said.