Women urged to get ‘hooked on politics’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33814, 10 April 1975, Page 6

Women urged to get ‘hooked on politics’

Politics is fun. It throbs with life and vitality, Miss Coleen Dewe, a member of the National Party, told women attending the second session of the Y.W.C.A. International Women’s Year seminar on Women in Politics, on Tuesday evening.

“You can get hooked on it,” she said. “It can also be a lot of hard slog, although very satisfying.”

Miss Dewe appealed to the 19 women present (this was six more than the previous week) to get involved in politics and to help make other women aware of what they could contribute to society by being involved. Miss Dewe is chairman of the Sumner branch of the National Party,- Lyttelton electorate treasurer, Canterbury-Westland divisional treasurer, and a Dominion councillor.

Much of the apathy shown by women could be blamed on the education system, she said. It was a sad indictment on the education system that women needed an International Women’s Year to make them aware of their rights, responsibilities, and privileges. she said. By the time la girl reached School Certificate level she should be [aware of her areas of influ-

ence and the power she could;: wield. “If we are having to ham- i mer home womens rights; responsibilities, and privi- ] leges to them, we should take i a hard look at the school curriculum and what is being taught to girls,” Miss Dewe said. Far too many women in our cities were not involved in any groups or organisations. Their minds stagnated, and they became candidates for suburban neurosis. Miss Dewe told the women that they should be preapring ! a policy for the Government to follow to make education more attractive for girls. “Many girls leave school with no concept beyond being married. Their one aim is to have a wedding ring.” Miss Dewe said the power! that could be wielded by women, who made up 40 to 50 per cent of the population, could be immense. But they should not contemplate holding all the power themselves. It would be impracticable and a division between the sexes "is not on,” she said. It was unfortunate, she said, that generally the female | population was indifferent to politics, because politics!

: affected everyone at all levels I :— from maternity benefits to I old age pensions. j “We are all directly de- I pendent on the Government I and how it runs the country.” j Miss Dewe did not enter I politics through a woman’s 1 organisation but took her! chances wtih the men on the ! ballot. She was the first, woman to be elected to office ! in the Canterbury-Westland division and the first woman 1 elected to the Dominion council. i She did not have the maternal instinct, she said, but of those who did and, who were content to stay at I home and look after their families, she regretted that more did not try to extend themselves further into the community. ■i She said women could play any part in the National Party they wished to or had , the ability to. If women felt they could get involved on matters of the economy they: should do it but they should 1 not lose sight of policies rei garding women. ■ i “In a Government conducted by men, the men mean i well but they have little idea i of how women have to cope ilin ordinary situations.”