These are recent media releases by the Minister of Women's Affairs, Hon Pansy Wong, and staff from the Ministry of Women's Affairs.

All Minister's speeches link to the Beehive site - use the 'back' button on your browser to return to the MWA site.

10 December 2006

Ministry committed to women's protection

Women’s Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel agrees with women’s groups that protection orders must work effectively, but has hit out at 'unfounded and ill-informed' statements that the Ministry of Women's Affairs is failing to act. 
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06 November 2006 

Women could earn more

Girls might make different career choices if they realised that male-dominated significantly more 
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06 October 2006 

Labour committed to pay and employment equity

Government will continue to take the lead in improving pay and employment equity for New Zealand workers, says Minister of Women's Affairs Lianne Dalziel.
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02 October 2006 

Māori women key to NZ economic growth

Māori women have played a significant role in New Zealand's strong economic growth in recent years, entering the workforce in record numbers and helping lift productivity, Minister for Women’s Affairs Lianne Dalziel says.
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20 September 2006 

Trans-Tasman women's issues ministers meet

Family violence and women in leadership are just two of the issues Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel will discuss with her Australian counterparts at a ministerial meeting on the status of women in Adelaide on Friday.
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18 September 2006 

Government wants more women on private sector boards

To mark Suffrage Day, Minister of Women’s Affairs Lianne Dalziel is highlighting three new initiatives by the private sector that aim to see women better represented at board level.
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15 May 2006 

Report Card on Women Marks Progress

A government report on the status of New Zealand women prepared for the United Nations (UN) records that considerable progress has been made in the last four years, Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel said.

New Zealand's Sixth Report on its Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) co-ordinated by the Ministry of Women's Affairs updates their last report in 2002 and will be presented to the UN's CEDAW Committee in 2007.

"I believe we can hold our head up high in terms of the progress that we have made. This is more than a record of achievement – it reaches merit and excellence standards as well, largely because we have very strong laws and policies to protect and advance the interests of women. But challenges remain," Lianne Dalziel said.

"The level of violence against women in New Zealand is intolerable; pay equity remains an issue with women earning on average 20 per cent less than their male counterparts (even in the same professions); women's employment is still concentrated in female-dominated occupations and New Zealand lags the world in the number of women on private sector boards.

"The Labour-led government is addressing these issues but in most instances it is attitudinal change that is required, which the government cannot legislate," Lianne Dalziel said.

"We cannot afford to be complacent, because much of what women take for granted today could be lost at the stroke of the legislative pen. New Zealand was well behind like-countries when a Labour-led government introduced paid parental leave. Its introduction was opposed by the opposition but its extension to self-employed parents is now supported by them. This means it is vulnerable to policy change."

Lianne Dalziel said that leadership on women's issues has been a cornerstone of New Zealand's national identity ever since we led the world in granting women the right to vote.

"The report's credibility is enhanced by the process used to compile it. There was wide-ranging consultation with both government and non-government organisations and this is reflected in the appendix entitled 'Voices of New Zealand Women'. I will be very proud to present this report on behalf of the government," Lianne Dalziel said.

The report is available on http://www.mwa.govt.nz/news-and-pubs/publications/international/cedaw-report.html

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10 May 2006 

Preventing family violence highest priority for Ministry

PDF [77KB] 

The level of violence within families is unacceptable and reducing violence is one of the highest priorities for women and for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs says Ministry Chief Executive Shenagh Gleisner.

Ms Gleisner is also Deputy Chair of the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families. The Taskforce will report to Ministers in July with strategies for medium to long term actions to prevent family violence, including a detailed programme of action for the year to June 2007.

“Violence within families has proved one of the most intractable problems impacting on women and children,” said Shenagh Gleisner. “When we report to the United Nations on our international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), as we did again in March, we can show real progress in many areas, but violence against women is proving very hard to address.”

The causes of violence are complex and the solutions will need responses from individuals and institutions throughout the community. It will require a very high level of co-operation between government agencies and between government and not-for-profit organisations (NGOs) working in the area she said.

“Additional funding for NGOs announced by the government today will help provide vital support in areas like 24-hour crisis lines, counselling, social work support, safe house accommodation, advocacy and information,” she said. “Improving these services is part of the solution, as is ensuring areas like policing and the justice system work effectively to reduce violence.

“Ultimately however, family violence is every New Zealander’s issue. Violence will only reduce when people no longer tolerate it, and that requires attitudes and behaviour to change. Achieving that will require education, as well as excellent enforcement and support services for victims.

“The Ministry is committed to continuing to work closely with NGOs, and communities that are fighting to prevent family violence, as well as supporting a whole-of-government response through initiatives such as the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families.”

ENDS
For further information contact:
Rod Scotts, Senior Communications Advisor
(04) 916 5842

 

5 May 2006 

Pride as Ministry Marks 20th Anniversary

Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel said the 20th anniversary of the official opening of the Ministry of Women's Affairs on Saturday is a time to reflect on the achievements of the Ministry.

New Zealand has been a world-leader in terms of women's equality since 1893, when we became the first country in the world where women won the right to vote.

"I am proud of that beginning and proud of what has been achieved since. In the short time since becoming Minister of Women's Affairs, I know that I head an effective, pro-active and agile team that punches well above its weight as the smallest public service agency," Lianne Dalziel said.

But there is also regret in this commemoration. When the Ministry was established it was clearly intended to be for a finite period. The hope in 1986 was that the structure of inequality would be demolished.

Sadly many women's issues that remain today are intractable and cannot be solved solely by government action. The problems of domestic violence and the clustering of women in low-paid jobs have much of their roots in social attitudes and behaviours.

We must therefore all work closely together - women, men, families, communities, non-government organisations, and government - to achieve better outcomes for women.

During this term of the Labour-led government our priorities of economic transformation, strengthening families – young and old, and building national identity are being advanced by the Ministry of Women's Affairs.

Enabling women to reach their full potential is not just important for the women themselves and their families, it is also critical to New Zealand’s long-term success as a nation.

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28 April 2006

Options to get more women on boards explored

Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel announced today that the Ministry of Women's Affairs is looking into ways of helping the private sector replicate the Labour-led government's success in appointing capable women to boards.

"We want to work closely with the business sector to improve their disappointing performance in this area, which doesn't see New Zealand business stacking up well on the international front ," said Lianne Dalziel.

Women make up just 7.1 per cent of directors of the top 100 listed companies – less than 50 women in total, according to the 2006 New Zealand Census of Women's Participation prepared by the Human Rights Commission and the New Zealand Centre for Women and Leadership. In contrast, 41 per cent of ministerial appointments to government statutory bodies were women, according to a Ministry stocktake.

"The government's leadership and the Ministry's Nominations Service have played a significant role in the success achieved in the public sector and I want to see whether it can be effectively translated into something that works for the private sector," said Lianne Dalziel.

"Highly talented women are being overlooked for private sector directorships because they don't even come up on the radar screen. We need to eliminate what is essentially a waste of talent, which New Zealand simply cannot afford."

"There is a growing body of evidence from international studies that suggests that diversity on boards is, as the title of one Canadian study puts it: 'not just the right thing, but the bright thing'.

"Diversity on boards is good for business, so the business sector is really missing out ," Lianne Dalziel.

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12 April 2006 

Dalziel Congratulates National Council of Women on Founder's Day

Minister of Women's Affairs Lianne Dalziel today paid tribute to the work of the National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) as the NCWNZ marks 110 years of working for women and their families.

The women who successfully campaigned for Universal Suffrage formed NCWNZ in 1896 as a forum for women to debate issues. The NCWNZ celebrates Founder's Day on April 13 and the 110th anniversary will also be celebrated at a dinner during the NCWNZ's National Conference in Invercargill between September 28 and October 1.

The anniversary of such a key event in New Zealand's history is a time to reflect on what has been achieved and what is still to be done in the many areas of policy that influence the status of women, said Lianne Dalziel.

"I have been an advocate for the Ministry of Women's Affairs as I believe it plays an important role in making sure the impact on women is considered when policy is developed by government departments," said Lianne Dalziel.

"The NCWNZ has been influencing policy for 110 years and has achieved much in local, national and international forums. I have no doubt that the NCWNZ will continue to play an important role in New Zealand society and I wish it well on this important anniversary," said Lianne Dalziel. 

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4 April 2006 

Mana Wahine Launch 2006: Success of Maori women celebrated

PDF [108KB] 

Māori women’s success in business will be celebrated at the launch of Mana Wahine Week 2006 tomorrow night.

Ministry of Women’s Affairs Chief Executive Shenagh Gleisner said this year’s theme ‘Māori women in business as leaders, challengers and achievers’ honoured the huge contribution Māori women make to their communities and the wider New Zealand economy.

“The event will be launched by our Minister, Hon Lianne Dalziel and will feature speakers who are great examples of successful Māori women. Leiana Rei Perawiti is an award-winning fashion designer, Mabel Wharekawa-Burt is a well-known actress and entertainer, and Colleen Tuuta is a company director and member of the National Advisory Committee on the Employment of Women (NACEW). At the event Colleen will launch NACEW’s new brochure and campaign encouraging women to make ‘informed choices’ in their professions and businesses.“

Mana Wahine Week is a series of national and local events that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has celebrated annually since 1993. That year was both International Year of Indigenous People and Women’s Suffrage Centennial Year and the event began (as ‘Māori women’s week’) as part of the celebrations for the former to recognise the contribution and celebrate the success of Mäori women in New Zealand.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs supports this national event to celebrate the important role of Māori women as tangata whenua and highlight the contributions that Mäori women have made to New Zealand society.

This year’s celebrations will include a film festival and panel discussion by Māori women at the Wellington City Art Gallery Auditorium on 22 and 23 April. To find out more about the celebration visit http://www.mwa.govt.nz/women-in-nz/maoriwomen/manawahine_week06

ENDS

For further information contact:
Amanda Gregan
Communications Advisor
(04) 916 5821

 

03 April 2006 

New Zealand Census of Women's Participation Highlights Challenge for Business

Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel says she hopes the New Zealand Census of Women's Participation 2006 is a catalyst for change in New Zealand's boardrooms.
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23 February 2006 

Findings released from study on Pacific Women's economic well-being

Quality work, affordable childcare and more involvement in leadership are key to enhancing the well-being of Pacific women, according to research undertaken by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) launched today.

The findings of the Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being research were released at an event at Parliament to celebrate Pacific women jointly hosted by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon Lianne Dalziel, and the Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban.

"The genesis of the research project was a meeting between the MWA and Pacific women in 2001, as part of the development of the Action Plan for New Zealand Women, which highlighted economic issues as a major concern for women in Pacific Island communities within New Zealand," said Lianne Dalziel.

MWA led the project, with support and assistance from the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and the Ministry of Economic Development. The research involved both analysis of existing data and a qualitative study commissioned from Koloto and Associates on Pacific Women’s issues and priorities in relation to their economic well-being.

The key themes from the research, in conjunction with the analysis of overall trends for Pacific women, highlighted a number of issues for consideration in policy development across the government sector.

"Prominent themes to come out of the research included how the role of the family, the church and the community were central in the lives of Pacific women and how these significantly influenced decisions made in relation to work and other activities," said Luamanuvao Winnie Laban.

Both ministers expressed concern that participants in the project identified barriers such as a lack of qualifications, experience and confidence in accessing employment opportunities.

"There is no question that this must remain the focus of the government's attention and it ties in very well with initiatives that are already underway," Lianne Dalziel said.

The Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being summary report identifies the three particular areas of:
· access to quality work (enabling Pacific women to earn more from the work they do);
· availability of high quality and affordable childcare; and
· increasing the representation of Pacific women in leadership roles.

"This says to me that the government is on the right track. However, we need to continue to ensure that programmes are inclusive of Pacific families," said Lianne Dalziel.

"As Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, I am committed to economic development for Pacific women," Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said.

"This Government's vision is for Pacific women to develop a clear economic strategy that will transform our economic well-being into deliverable actions, which will benefit our families, our communities and New Zealand as a whole.

"I am keen to work with a key group of Pacific women, who represent all of the key stakeholders, to develop an economic development action plan for women within the broader 'Pacific Economic Action Plan'," Luamanuvao Winnie Laban said.

The ministers said the report will also help government departments developing policies relating to Pacific economic and business development, Pacific capacity building, social assistance and reducing inequalities.

Copies of the summary report and the report from the results of the qualitative research are available through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs or on the Ministry’s website www.mwa.govt.nz. 

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16 February 2006 

Ministry of Women's Affairs' stocktake shows success

The first stocktake of the membership of state sector statutory bodies completed by the Nominations Service of the Ministry of Women's Affairs shows that 41 per cent of government-appointed board members are women.
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