25 signatures reached
To: The leaders and justice spokespeople of all parties represented in Parliament.
Consent Laws NOW
We call on every political party represented in Parliament to publicly commit, before the election, to progressing affirmative consent law reform.
This means committing to:
- Supporting the existing draft legislation as the starting point for reform.
- Working together to have it placed on the Order Paper before Parliament rises, so it can be considered without unnecessary delay.
- If it cannot be progressed before Parliament is dissolved, introducing and prioritising affirmative consent reform at the earliest opportunity in the next Parliament.
This is a call for every party to act on reform that has already attracted cross-party recognition, and for Parliament to put survivor-centred, evidence-based law reform ahead of election politics.
Why is this important?
With three major parties now supporting affirmative consent law reform, Parliament has a genuine opportunity to act before the election. Last week, National announced its support, joining Labour and the Greens in recognising that New Zealand’s consent laws need to change.
There is already draft legislation and enough support to progress it. With only limited sitting dates remaining, delaying reform risks treating the safety and dignity of victim-survivors as an election issue, rather than the humanitarian issue it is.
We want an Aotearoa where every person, especially our rangatahi, grows up understanding that consent is not silence, uncertainty or the absence of resistance. It is something freely and voluntarily given, actively communicated, and grounded in mutual respect.
For too many victim-survivors, sexual violence is not a single moment that simply passes. Its effects can reach into how people feel in their bodies, relationships, schools, workplaces and communities for years afterwards. It can affect mental health, trust, education, whānau relationships and a young person’s understanding of what they are entitled to expect from others. Our laws should reflect the seriousness of that harm and the basic truth that every person has the right to sexual autonomy.
New Zealand’s criminal law does not currently contain a positive statutory definition of sexual consent. The Crimes Act identifies some circumstances where consent is absent, but it does not clearly say what consent is. This gap leaves room for outdated and harmful assumptions: that someone must fight back, say “no” in a particular way, or that silence, hesitation, intoxication, a past relationship or simply being there can be treated as agreement.
A clear affirmative-consent framework would help shift the focus to communication, mutuality and respect. It would make clear that consent cannot be presumed, while supporting the conversations our young people need to have about healthy relationships, boundaries and care for one another.
This reform would not weaken the fundamental protections of the criminal justice system. The prosecution would still have to prove every element of an offence beyond reasonable doubt. It is about ensuring the law is clear, fair and capable of reflecting what we now understand about sexual autonomy and harm.
The call for change has been building for years. In 2022, more than 12,000 people signed the Consent Law Reform campaign petition. In 2023, the Justice Committee unanimously recommended that Parliament re-examine the law on consent. Victim-survivors, rangatahi, whānau, advocates, community organisations and legal experts have continued to call for change.
This is not a party-political issue. It is about whether Parliament is prepared to put dignity, safety and wellbeing ahead of election politics. No young person, victim-survivor or whānau should have to wait through another election cycle for the law to catch up with what we know about consent, safety and healthy relationships. Parliament has a practical pathway and sufficient support to act. It should do so now.
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