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Two Cabinet Ministers helped launch the results of research on Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being at a celebration held at Parliament on 23 February. The event was co-hosted by the Minister of Women’s Affairs, Hon Lianne Dalziel and the Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban.

The event celebrated women from all Pacific nations, and marked the release of research which had its genesis in a meeting held in 2001 between MWA and Pacific women from a wide range of sectors. That meeting highlighted the need to look deeper into the economic well-being of Pacific women in New Zealand.

With support from the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs (MPIA) and the Ministry of Economic Development, MWA received funding from the Government’s Cross Departmental Research Pool to undertake the Pasifika Women’s Economic Well-being Project. Ana Koloto and Associates was commissioned by MWA to carry out the research and a reference group including Pacific women and policy makers was established by MWA to provide advice and guidance to both the Ministry and the research providers.

Among the most prominent themes to come out of the research was how the roles of family, the church and community were central in the lives of Pacific women and how these significantly influence decisions made in relation to work and other activities.

These findings will be used to inform policy development that impact on Pacific women and their families, such as access to quality work – that is access to work that is skilled, satisfying and that pays enough to help Pacific women achieve what they want for themselves, their families and their communities. It will also look at the availability of high quality and affordable childcare, and on getting more Pacific women into leadership roles.

By encouraging more Pacific women into positions of leadership such as state sector boards, the experiences and knowledge Pacific women gain from their roles in their families, churches, communities and work can be shared with all New Zealanders.

The research will also contribute to cross-departmental work on a wide range of issues such as reducing inequalities, pacific capacity building, work-life balance, Pacific economic and business development and social assistance.

For more information on the Pasifika Women’s Economic Well-being Study and the Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being Project see www.mwa.govt.nz or contact: Josephine Tiro: (04) 916 5839 or Tiro@mwa.govt.nz

√ Action Plan

Action Plan for New Zealand Women, Economic Sustainability 1.3.2: Complete a research programme to identify strategies that will progress Pacific women’s economic well-being.

Change and continuity at the Ministry

The last few months have seen both change and continuity at Women’s Affairs. Change because we have a new Minister in Lianne Dalziel, and a new (acting) Chief Executive while Shenagh Gleisner is heading the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services for a few months. Continuity because, in my time as acting Chief Executive, it will be very much business-as-usual for the Ministry: our priorities are unchanged, our staffing is at full-strength and we are working through a busy work programme.

By the time you read this the Ministry will have represented New Zealand at the 50th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, and the Minister will have launched the report of the Pacific Women’s Economic Well-being research project. Later this month the Ministry will publish New Zealand’s four-yearly ‘report card’ to the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Work has also begun on preparing the Ministry’s Statement of Intent (SOI) for 2006-09. If you are interested in understanding the Ministry’s priorities over the next three years, the SOI is really worth reading. Unlike the annual report, the SOI is a forward looking document that sets out the organisation’s plans. It says what work the Ministry will particularly focus upon, and explains why the Ministry believes that work should have priority. All government agencies prepare SOIs, and they are a great source of information about government priorities and action in the near term. You can find SOIs on each agency’s website or through the government web portal www.govt.nz.

The other recently published document which gives an even broader overview of women’s policy is the Briefing to the Incoming Minister (BIM), prepared at the end of 2005. You can find the Ministry’s BIM and previous SOIs on our website – www.mwa.govt.nz. The Ministry’s new SOI will be posted on this site when it is published in May.

Over the next period the new Minister, Lianne Dalziel is also keen to engage with as many women’s organisations and interested individuals as possible. Staff members were pleased to welcome her to the Ministry just a few weeks after her appointment and the Minister made clear to everyone that she was pleased to have the portfolio and would be continuing a very long-standing interest in promoting women’s interests. We look forward to working with her.

I would also like to thank Shenagh for the trust she has shown in me to look after the Ministry while she is managing another important Public Service agency. I have been the Strategy Development Manager at the Ministry for the past 18 months, which has eased the shift into the acting CE role. Shenagh said my role as acting CE was to ‘support the excellent managers and staff, to maintain momentum and nourish the culture and the quality of the work’ at the Ministry. That’s what I will be trying to do.

Carolyn Risk

Acting Chief Executive

Change of scene for our CE

Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) Chief Executive, Shenagh Gleisner, has taken on a new role, but only temporarily.

Shenagh became acting Chief Executive of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYF) in December 2005. The State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble asked her to take on the job when CYF head Paula Tyler departed and she expects to be in the role for about six months, until a permanent appointment is made.

Shenagh said she was both excited and daunted by the prospect of managing the service, which has more than 2000 staff and provides services around the country - primarily for at-risk children and young people, and their families.

Before coming to MWA, much of Shenagh’s work had been in the health sector, and she has previously been a social worker and family therapist – which should help in an organisation where well over half the staff are social workers or specialist support staff such as psychologists.

While Shenagh is at CYF Carolyn Risk, who has worked at MWA for the past 18 months as the Strategy Development Manager, is acting Chief Executive.

Shenagh said the Ministry was in good hands: ‘Carolyn knows the vision that we have for the Ministry, she is very committed to it and knowledgeable about our policy programmes and our international work.

‘Her task is to support the excellent managers and staff, to maintain momentum and nourish the culture and the quality of the work. I know she will do this. It is because of the current strength of the Ministry that I feel able to take this challenge.’

Report to CEDAW nearly complete

New Zealand’s sixth report to the United Nations on our obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is now in the final stages of editing and will be posted on the Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) website when it becomes available.

CEDAW sets out an agenda for countries to end discrimination against women, and signatories must submit reports of their progress to the United Nations every four years. New Zealand has already filed five of these reports, with the sixth due to be submitted this month.

Each four-yearly report to the Committee is intended to update the previous report, detailing significant developments that have occurred over the last four years, noting key trends, and identifying obstacles to the full achievement of the Convention.

Like previous reports, the sixth report contains a section called the Voices of New Zealand. Much of the material for this section comes from consultation with women over the last four years – particularly as part of developing the Action Plan for New Zealand Women and when reporting back the outcome of that process last year. Stakeholder forums, such as the Ministry’s Caucus on International Women’s Issues, and existing networks and forums, such as the New Zealand Women's Convention: Learn from the Past, Look to the Future, were also used.

MWA would like to extend a warm thank you to all the people who contributed to the report, or provided feedback on the draft.

The United Nations CEDAW Committee will review the reports and make comments and suggestions where it believes further progress is needed. New Zealand will be required to appear before the CEDAW Committee when the Committee considers its report. This is likely to be in 2007.

If you have any questions about the CEDAW process, please contact Cherie Engelbrecht at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs on (04) 916 5813 or email: Engelbrecht@mwa.govt.nz

Kiwi wealth and worth

How much wealth do New Zealanders have, in what forms do they hold that wealth, and how much income in retirement will their wealth provide?

These are just some of the questions addressed by Grant Scobie, John Gibson and Trinh Le in their book Household Wealth in New Zealand, which provides the first comprehensive description of patterns of wealth in this country.

The book includes an analysis of the factors (such as age, gender and current income) that might be important in explaining the differences in net worth across individuals and couples.

The analysis, undertaken by Treasury in collaboration with the Office of the Retirement Commissioner, looks at the assets and liabilities of New Zealanders based on the 2001 Household Savings Survey.

The book considers the extent to which ethnicity influences wealth accumulation, how the student loan scheme may have affected net worth and the impact of work and private pension schemes on net worth.

The authors note that individuals, identical in all observed respects, may have very different levels of net worth simply because some will choose to enjoy higher consumption while others with a similar income may choose to constrain consumption in order to save more and accumulate wealth for use in the future.

The survey results reflect the past decisions that people have made about how much to accumulate but, by its very nature, the survey cannot reveal their present rate of saving. Repeated surveys at periodic intervals would be required to determine the pattern of accumulation across households.

Some interesting results from the study include:

· Highly unequal wealth distribution – mean individual net worth $97,000 compared to median individual net worth $10,300

· 23 percent of all individuals are estimated to have negative wealth and are concentrated in the younger age groups (reflecting in part the effect of student loans held by 21 percent of all individuals surveyed)

· Predicted net wealth for non-partnered individuals increases with age, peaking at $236,000 at age 70 and declining thereafter ($176,000 at age 85, a large part of which was represented by the value of the property). For couples, the peak occurs a little earlier, their net worth is more than twice that of non-partnered individuals and declines more sharply with subsequent age than for non-partnered individuals

· The combined effect of New Zealand Superannuation acting as a lifetime annuity, free hospital care and subsidised rest home care significantly reduces the need for precautionary savings to meet unexpected health costs or uncertain life expectancy

· Individuals and couples who belong to a pension scheme involving employer contribution have a considerably higher level of net worth.

Footnote: Senior Policy Analyst, Diane Anorpong from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is among those acknowledged by the authors for her comments and suggestions received on earlier drafts of the book.

Household Wealth in New Zealand is published by the Institute of Policy Studies. For more information, copies of the book can be ordered from: http://www.vuw.ac.nz/ips/publications/new-books/index.aspx

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Living with ‘AMC’

Life can be tough for all of us sometimes, but for those with a disability it can be even more challenging.

Wendy Neilson lives with a disability, but is by no means disabled.

She was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) which is a rare disorder, present at birth (congenital), and characterised by reduced mobility of many joints of the body, due to the overgrowth of fibrous tissue. Symptoms of AMC vary widely among affected individuals, however the range of motion of the joints in the arms and legs is usually limited or fixed. The cause of AMC is unknown.

Wendy has a Masters Degree and is a lecturer at the School of Education at Waikato University. She is Chair of the Council of Workbridge, a not-for-profit organisation that helps people with disabilities find employment, and is also Chair of the Gracelands Trust which provides vocational support for people with disabilities. In addition, she is on the National Executive of the National Assembly for People with Disabilities New Zealand (DPA NZ). DPA is the umbrella organisation representing people with disabilities at a government level that is involved in advocacy on the behalf of individuals with a disability and their service providers. She is also a Justice of the Peace.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) talks to Wendy about what it is like living in New Zealand with a disability.

MWA: What is your level of disability?

WN: My hands and feet are affected and I have had three hip replacement operations. I have never been able to run or ride a two-wheeler, although I used to ride a big trike to school. That gave me independence.

MWA: How does having AMC make your life different from that of others?

WN: It creates different challenges and I need to look at doing things in other ways. It has taught me to celebrate and value diversity, both within myself and in others.

MWA: What do you find is/are the most difficult things for you to contend with?

WN: Other people’s attitudes. People make assumptions/judgements, and they are usually negative, based on what they see. People look and don’t see quality, diversity and strength. People with disabilities need to be recognised as people who can and do contribute a lot to the community.

MWA: How do you find others’ general attitudes [towards you]?

WN: First I get the negative assumptions, then they find out what I do and have done and they see the real me!

MWA: Do you feel supported within society?

WN: Yes, very much so, but mainly because I have made myself go out and become involved in the community, especially women’s groups. The support is there as long as you are open to it. I love doing what I’m doing, inspiring trainee teachers (the course I teach is compulsory) and it is rewarding to see the students come out excited about the individual differences of youngsters in the classroom, and become more able to meet their needs and celebrate diversity in all forms. My thesis looked at ‘what is success for women born with a disability’ and it showed that, for the women I interviewed, their disability actually gave them their strength and determination to do well.

MWA: How is it for you when finding work, shopping etc?

WN: I’ve always been lucky, and have done really well. I always felt like I had to prove myself academically though. I have been very active in going out and doing all sorts of things and as such have never been at a loss for work.

MWA: Do you have a family?

WN: I am married and have two children – a son and a daughter, both teachers! I also have three grandchildren who are the joy of my life.

MWA: Is there anything you would like to point out to help others?

WN: Learn to value your disability. Challenges are character-building. Women with disabilities have to go half way though – and it’s up to the individual to also help themselves.

MWA: Is there anything that you would like non-disabled people to be more respectful of/aware of/think about?

WN: It’s important to be able to see the potential in everyone and give those with disabilities the opportunity to be valued and encourage them to reach their potential.

Footnote: The Office for Disability Issues is responsible for ensuring government keeps faith with the New Zealand Disability Strategy by promoting the participation and inclusion of disabled people in our society. They provide a focus on disability issues in government, lead cross-sector policy, and provide support to the Minister for Disability Issues. The Disability Strategy provides a framework for removing barriers to disabled people's full participation in society.

For more information on the New Zealand Disability Strategy, please see the Office for Disability issues website: www.odi.govt.nz

√ Action Plan

Action Plan for New Zealand Women, Well-being 3.1.1: MWA will work with the Office for Disability Issues to encourage government departments to include disabled women’s issues in their annual New Zealand Disability Strategy implementation plans.

How effective is sexuality education in NZ schools?

A review of sexuality education in New Zealand secondary schools is to be launched in a bid to better understand links between education and young people’s sexual behaviour.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MWA) is leading the review, with the ultimate goal of improving the sexual health of young New Zealanders.

Sexuality education is taught within New Zealand schools as part of the Health and Physical Education Curriculum. The review seeks to get a better picture nationally of how schools and communities contribute to and support sexuality education.

The review is also in response to recent research that indicates that more young people are having sex, starting at a younger age, and with more sexual partners. A rise in sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates and gaps in young people’s knowledge relating to safe or safer sexual behaviour have also been identified.

The Hubba Hubba campaign launched in November 2004 by the Ministry of Health provided a first step to increase awareness of STIs. However, in order to maintain the benefits of the campaign and interest in safer sex issues a longer term programme of action is required.

The sexuality education review will sample 80 – 100 schools during terms two and three of this year, and will include schools with pupils in years seven to 13.

The Ministers of Education, Health and Women’s Affairs have confirmed their support for a cross-agency review and the review is being progressed collaboratively through a cross-agency reference group comprised of the Education Review Office (ERO), the Ministries of Education, Health, Pacific Island Affairs, Women’s Affairs, Youth Development, Social Development and Te Puni Kōkiri.

The review will be carried out by ERO and is expected to be completed by the end of 2006. Findings from the review will be published as a report on sexuality education in New Zealand schools with a supplementary good practice report.

For more information on the Sexuality Education Review, contact Māhina Melbourne at the Ministry of Women’s Affairs on (04) 916 834 or email: Melbourne@mwa.govt.nz

√ Action Plan

Action Plan for New Zealand Women, Well-being 3.3.1: To reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections and number of unwanted pregnancies with a particular focus on teenage pregnancies.

Waikato student is riding high

University of Waikato PhD student Holly Thorpe is riding high – in more ways than one!

A dream job for some, Holly has spent the past few years snowboarding by day and writing her thesis at night – all in the name of research.

She has been investigating the female youth culture surrounding female boarders (surf, skate and snow). Her research has involved a theoretical investigation, employing a number of different social theories to help make sense of the female boarding phenomenon, and has involved participant observations plus interviews with more than 100 people associated with the sport.

Holly’s study has gained her international recognition, winning her the North American Barbara Brown Award 2005 for most outstanding graduate in the sociology of sport.

Her winning paper, titled ‘Beyond ‘Decorative Sociology’: Contextualizing the Female Surf, Skate and Snow Boarder’, is a critique of sports sociology and cultural studies, with an emphasis on the importance of context. Her case study looks at the female surf, skate and snowboarder in pre-commercial and post-commercial contexts.

At only 24, the Sport and Leisure Studies student already has several credits to her name including a $5,000 New Zealand Postgraduate Study Abroad Award from Education New Zealand and a Waikato Doctoral scholarship.

Her research has appeared in a number of scholarly refereed journals including Sport and Society, International Sports Studies, Junctures: A Journal of Thematic Dialogue, and the Waikato Journal of Education.

Holly is a keen snowboarder and has been a competitor and instructor. Her interest in the sport inspired her to research the subject.

‘Only 30 years ago these types of sports and their participants were on the margin of society, but very quickly they have been commercialised and now it’s a $9.8 billion industry. Women have played a major part in this growth. The female snowboard demographic, for example, has more than doubled in the past decade. In fact, snowboarding and skateboarding are the two fastest growing sports for American women. I had many sociological questions and I wanted to investigate further.’

The prize for the Barbara Brown Award included a flight to North Carolina where Holly attended the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) Convention and presented her paper. Held annually, this international event attracts leading sport sociologists from around the world.

Hard work rewarded

Mrs ‘Ofa Afuha’amango Ketu’u is the recipient of the Ria McBride Public Service Management Award for 2005. Originally from Tonga, Mrs Ketu’u is the first Pacific woman to win the Award.

The State Services Commission (SSC) established the Award six years ago to assist women to enter into the top senior management levels of the public service and is awarded to those who have proven their potential to succeed. The Award honours Ria McBride who was the first woman appointed Chief Clerk of the Public Service Commission (now the SSC).

Mrs Ketu’u is the Pacific Manager at Statistics New Zealand and is based in Auckland. She says that this Award will help her to complete her PhD which is on Public Sector Reform at the University of Auckland.

Mrs Ketu’u has a postgraduate degree in economics from the London School of Economics. She has worked for the World Bank Group in Washington and has held several top positions, including acting Chief Executive of Treasury and Director of the Research Department of the National Reserve Bank in Tonga. All were firsts for a Tongan woman.

She came to New Zealand from Tonga with her husband and children at the end of 2003 and has since developed a strong commitment to helping Pacific communities in this country.

The New Horizons for Women Trust administers the Ria McBride Public Service Management Award, along with various other awards including those that assist women or community groups to carry out research of importance to women, and women who want to undertake second-chance education or training.

An Award ceremony was held at the University of Auckland in November 2005 for Mrs Ketu’u and other successful recipients of the New Horizons for Women Trust scholarships.

US feminism pioneer dies at 85

On the fourth of February, Betty Friedan, one of America’s most famous feminist writers, died in her Washington D.C. home. It was her 85^th birthday.

Betty Friedan was best known for her book The Feminine Mystique which became a bestseller in the 1960s, and laid the groundwork for the modern feminist movement in the United States.

Her book, published in 1963, asserted that women were not necessarily fulfilled by their roles of housewives and mothers.

‘A woman has got to be able to say, and not feel guilty, “Who am I, and what do I want out of life?” She mustn't feel selfish and neurotic if she wants goals of her own, outside of husband and children,’ Friedan wrote.

In 1966 she went on to co-found America’s National Organization for Women (NOW), which campaigned for equality, and became its first president.

She campaigned for the right to abortion, equal pay and maternity leave, which were all seen by many in America at that time as radical ideas.

Māori Sports Awards

The Mäori Sports Awards were held in Auckland on 17 December 2005 and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ Treaty Relationship Unit Manager, Sonya Rimene was there to join the celebrations.

Each year the Mäori Sports Awards are held to highlight the positive contribution that Māori sports people make to whānau, iwi, hapū and all New Zealanders.

Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust was established in 1994 to coordinate the annual awards ceremony and the Māori Sports Awards is now a prestigious annual event that showcases outstanding Māori sportsmen and sportswomen.

Among the sporting achievements recognised in 2005 were:

· Mäori Sports Team: Aotearoa Mäori Women’s 7’s

· Junior Mäori Sportswoman was Nadine Stone (Ngāti Awa, Te Whakatohea) for her efforts in being a representative at Touch and basketball

· Senior Mäori Sportswoman was Shelley Kitchen (Nga Puhi) who is 13th in the world for Squash

· Mäori Sports Administrator was Mavis Mullens (Te Ati Haunui a Papaarangi, Rangitaane) for managing the New Zealand Shearing Team

· Mäori World Champions

– World Singles/Pairs Woolhandling: Joanne Kumeroa (Te Atihaunui a Papaarangi), and Tina Rimene (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitaane)

– World 60kg Power Lifting Champion: Rangimaria Brightwater-Wharf (Ngāti Kahungunu).

More information on the Māori Sports Awards can be found at: www.maorisportsawards.co.nz/new/news.htm

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Mana Wahine Week 2006

This year the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MWA) will be celebrating Mana Wahine Week in April. MWA will be involved in a number of events this year so, keep an eye on our website for updates: www.mwa.govt.nz

Karanga ngā reo o ngā wāhine - Voices of Māori Women

Last year's Mana Wahine Week focused on celebrating ten years since the release of the Karanga – 13 audio programmes of 29 Māori women speaking about aspects of Te Reo Māori. MWA has now reproduced these tapes for distribution. For further information or a copy of the tapes in CD or MP3 format contact Pat Duncan on (04) 916 5812.

Women on the Move

Brigadier Anne Campbell became the first New Zealand woman to reach the higher echelons of military office when she was promoted in November by the New Zealand Army’s Chief of Defence Force, Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson.

Brigadier Campbell is now one of the New Zealand Defence Force's highest-ranking officers, and is currently serving as the Director General of Defence Medical Services in Wellington.

Pauline Winter has been appointed as the new chair of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women (NACEW).

Pauline also currently serves on a range of Boards including the Legal Services Agency, the Auckland Energy Consumers Trust and the Māori Women’s Welfare League. She is a Council member of UNITEC Auckland, Deputy Commissioner of the Transport Accident and Investigation Commission and is chair of the Pacific Business Trust.

Margaret Boyd has been named the district governor for New Zealand South Pacific District of Kiwanis International which looks after New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and French Polynesia. She has been a member of the Kiwanis club of Roto Whenua since 1993.

Kiwanis is a global organisation of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.

Ros Burdon has been appointed chairwoman of the New Zealand Arts Foundation following the retirement of founding chairman Richard Cathie.

Profile from the Nominations Service database

Talent across the Board

Trish McKelvey, _{CNZM, MBE}is a well known national sporting figure, particularly in the world of cricket. She has spent most of her life in the field, including 16 years as captain and member of the New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team.

A former Principal of Wellington High School, she now works as a self-employed education and sport consultant.

Trish is chair of the Career Services Board and joined the Board in 1996. A member for three years and chair for seven, she says that it is a superb organisation.

Trish says: ‘these days there are many options available for boys, girls, men and women when considering their career choices and they should take every opportunity available to them. Options for women in particular, are now tremendous. In my day, career options were limited to teacher, secretary, or nurse!’

Born and bred in Lower Hutt, she says that all through her school years she had a passion for sport and played anything and everything she could.

She began her teaching career as a sport and careers advisor at Hutt Valley Memorial College. Then, after two years at Solway College and a period overseas she came back and joined the staff at Wellington High School as head of the special needs unit. Trish spent the next 21 years at Wellington High School – eight as Principal.

In 1966 she was selected to play cricket for the New Zealand Women’s Cricket Team, and chosen as captain. She played for the next 16 years, and went on to manage and coach the team for seven years. She is now a life member of both New Zealand and Wellington Cricket.

Trish is currently a Director of Electra Limited and a member of the Board of Victoria University. Past governance roles include the New Zealand Cricket Board, the Hillary Commission (now SPARC), the New Zealand Sports Foundation, and the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

Career Services Board

Career Services is a Crown agent that operates to assist in the achievement of government education, training and employment goals by providing high quality information, advice and guidance services. Members of the Board represent the school and tertiary sectors, business and industry, and community development organisations. It includes Māori representation.

Total operating revenue: $15 million per year

Total assets: $5.5 million

Board Chair: Trish McKelvey

Deputy Chair: Brent Kennerley

Members: Trish McKelvey, Maria Humphries, Brent Kennerley, Trudie McNaughton, Tina Wehipeihana-Wilson, Carl Pascoe

Board member requirements:

The following broad set provides a general outline of requirements, however, specific criteria are chosen prior to each new appointment depending on the skills needed to compliment existing membership:

governance experience
business or organisational skills
education or employment experience
experience or interest in career counselling
experience or interest in training and development
an educator who has an interest in, or whose school is active in, the careers advice/guidance area.

For more information about the Nominations Service, check out the Ministry of Women’s Affairs website:

www.mwa.govt.nz/our-work/nominations-service

News in Brief

‘Try a woman this time’

Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became Liberia's new president on 23 November 2005. She is the first woman to be elected leader of an African country.

The 67-year-old, Harvard-educated Ms Johnson-Sirleaf has had a long involvement with politics in Liberia.

Supporters of Ms Johnson-Sirleaf believe that her earlier career with the World Bank, the United Nations and Citigroup give her the ideal qualifications to rebuild Liberia's shattered economy.

During the elections, her campaigners wore t-shirts with the logo: ‘All the men have failed Liberia, let's try a woman this time.’

Another first was achieved in January when Michelle Bachelet became the first woman to be voted president of Chile. She is only the third woman to be directly-elected president of a Latin American country and is the first to do it without rising to prominence because of a husband.

Bachelet who won 53 percent of the vote, has said that she will not accept any pressures to appoint her top aides and insisted that at least half her cabinet would be women.

The 54-year-old physician served as health and defence minister in the administration of outgoing President Ricardo Lagos.

Bachelet survived imprisonment and torture under the Pinochet regime thirty years ago and spent time in exile in Australia and Europe before returning to Chile in 1979.

And in another first, former scientist Angela Merkel became Germany’s first female chancellor in January.

Paid parental leave extended

From 1 December 2005, the period of paid parental leave was raised from 13 to 14 weeks for parents of babies who are due, born or adopted on or after this date.

Eligible employees are entitled to receive a maximum payment of $357.30 per week for 14 weeks. Payment and leave can be shared between eligible partners, including those in same-sex relationships.

The latest extension follows on from the December 2004 increase in entitlement from 12 to 13 weeks.

Legislation has also been introduced to extend paid parental leave to cover self-employed mothers from July 2006.

For more information about paid parental leave see Employment Relations on the Department of Labour website: www.ers.dol.govt.nz

Minimum wage to increase

Labour Minister Ruth Dyson announced on 21 December 2005 that workers earning the minimum wage will receive a pay rise of nearly 8 percent from March 2006.

The minimum adult wage, which applies to people over 18 years, will increase from $9.50 to $10.25 an hour from 27 March 2006, the largest increase since 1999.

The minimum youth wage – for workers aged 16 and 17 years – will also increase by nearly 8 percent, from $7.60 to $8.20 per hour, to stay at 80 percent of the adult minimum wage. The minimum training wage will increase to the same rate.

The Minister of Labour reviews minimum wage rates annually for adults, youth and trainees, seeking submissions from a wide range of organisations, including employer, union, Pacific, Māori and women’s groups.

Ruth Dyson said the government’s goal is for the adult minimum wage to reach $12 an hour by the end of 2008, if economic conditions permit.

For more information, employers and employees can contact the Department of Labour at: www.ers.dol.govt.nz or free phone 0800 20 90 20.

Interviews begin for Crime and Safety Survey 2006

Over the next six months interviewers will be inviting households to take part in the New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey 2006.

About 5,500 people will be randomly selected by interviewers from ACNielsen who will ask about experiences of crime and how safe people feel in their communities. Survey findings will be used to reduce the effects of crime and help build safer communities.

As a result of previous surveys, changes were made to the way victims receive compensation, more help was provided for families at risk of victimisation and a range of initiatives were introduced to improve safety in public places.

For more information, refer to the ‘latest news’ section of the Ministry of Justice website: www.justice.govt.nz

Personal tools

Action Plan

Have you seen?

Status of Women in new zealand

Panui March 2006