Mana Wāhine

11 April 2005

Hon Ruth Dyson
Minister of Women’s Affairs
Farewell reception for NZ Shearing and Woolhandling team and Launch of a Māori women in the workforce factsheet
5.30pm, 11 April 2005
Beehive Foyer, Parliament

Rau rangatirma maa,
tenei te mihi ki a koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te ra.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.
[Distinguished guests, greetings to you gathered here for this purpose today. Greetings once, twice, three times to you all.]

Thank you for the opportunity to be with you today. I know that today is a mix of emotions – both of excitement and sadness. I want to offer my condolences to the shearing community, particularly, Mavis and Koro, for the loss of your friends and team members Elaine Robbin and Jordan Collier-Hiroki. I know that the thoughts of everyone in this room are with those who were in the accident, and especially with Elaine’s and Jordan’s families.

I want to acknowledge my colleagues – especially Parekura Horomia - and, of course, the members of the New Zealand Shearing and Wool Handling Team – Joanne Kumeroa from Wanganui, Tina Rimene from Masterton and team manager Mavis Mullins from Dannevirke.

This is a wonderful time to farewell such a talented team of Māori women as Mana Wāhine week is about to begin – the week when we officially celebrate the achievements and potential of Māori women.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs first celebrated Mana Wāhine week in 1993 as a fitting acknowledgement of Māori women in a year that was both the International Year of Indigenous People and Women’s Suffrage Centennial Year.

There is evidence that Māori women are more entrepreneurial than non-Māori women, both in New Zealand and globally. In fact, according to the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Study, released a year ago, Māori women are now among the most entrepreneurial business people in the world.

The study, which covers 41 countries and is the largest of its kind, shows that if Māori were defined as their own country, they would rank as the fourth most entrepreneurial country in the world.

Underlying growing Māori achievement is the recent renaissance of Māori language and culture, which has also been driven in large part by Māori women. They have been instrumental in setting up, and running, Tü Tangata, Kohanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa and Matua Whāngai programmes.

They have played a vital role in Iwi authorities, Māori trust boards and urban Māori authorities. And they have been the driving force behind the success of health and social services by Māori, for Māori.

Women’s voices were also strong at the recent Hui Taumata which focussed so strongly on developing people, developing a spirit and culture of enterprise, and developing Māori assets.

So today its appropriate to celebrate the successes and the strength and the contribution of Māori women.

The Ministry of Women’s Affairs’ marks this week with a celebration of the ten-year anniversary of the release of the Karanga – Nga Reo o nga Wāhine Māori meaning Voices of Māori Women.

The celebration features a photo display of all the women involved in the original recording of Karanga, and profiles the story of their lives to date – and it’s coming this week to City Gallery.

The theme for this year’s Mana Wāhine Week is ‘celebrating Māori women leadership’ – and I can’t think of a better theme for our wool handling team when they go to the world championships in Toowoomba, Australia in June.

Joanne, Tina and Mavis – you are great role models for all New Zealand women. To you and to David, Grant, Billy and Shane and I wish you all every success in Australia.

Thank you.