6. DARIEN FENTON (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Women's Affairs
What steps has the Government taken to improve the well-being and status of women in New Zealand?
Hon STEVE CHADWICK (Minister of Women’s Affairs) Link to this
The Government has taken lots of steps. Since 1999 we have improved the well-being and position of women by introducing 14 weeks’ paid parental leave, 20 hours’ free early childhood education, Working for Families, and 4 weeks’ annual leave. This Saturday this Labour-led Government celebrated the successes with hundreds of women as we marked 100 years of International Working Women’s Day.
Hon STEVE CHADWICK Link to this
These initiatives have improved the lives of New Zealand families. One group, though, has steadfastly refused to support these initiatives. It has consistently opposed the well-being of women by voting against the introduction of paid parental leave, now reaching over 100,000 families; Working for Families, which will benefit 360,000 families; 4 weeks’ annual leave; and 70,000 3 and 4-year-olds getting 20 hours’ free early childhood education. However, these initiatives have been so popular that National has again been forced to flip-flop over them, but women and families in New Zealand want to know what National’s position is.
Has she received any recent reports on the future of the agency established to advocate for women, the Ministry of Women’s Affairs?
Hon STEVE CHADWICK Link to this
I have. I have received two reports and I am really not sure which one to take seriously. One states that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs needs to go altogether; it calls it “a sexist relic”. Another advocates for the complete opposite, stating that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs could be doing so much more than at present. Those two statements come from the two Opposition spokespeople. Is National in favour of a voice for women or not?