Minister ‘not doing enough’ for women

Press, 24 June 1981, Page 26

Minister ‘not doing enough’ for women

PA Wellington Nationals "male spokesperson on women." Mr McLay. is nowhere to be seen when he has a chance to support women in a positive, practical way. says the Labour member of Parliament for Lyttelton. Mrs Ann Hercus. Saying Mr McLay should “be fired for his indifference to crucial problems facing women.” Mrs Hercus detailed areas where he was falling down. She conceded he was

"making some progress on appointing more women Justices of the Peace, but that is not enough." Mrs Hercus said about Mr McLay: "He never speaks on behalf of the tens of thousands of women and girls who are unemployed. "He never criticises ’Think Big' which he knows- would only create a tiny handful of jobs, mainly for men. "He opposes subsidies on basic food items but thinks subsidies for aluminium smelters are fine. "Where was his opposition to the closing of the Auckland Dental Nurse Training

school, when he ought to bi supporting the extension of dental services and job opportunities for women” “Why didn't he protest at the ridiculous and meaningless expenditure of $16,000 of the taxpayers' money on the 'Women on the Move' project?” Mrs Hercus said there were “so many areas where the National Party's male spokesperson on women had a chance to support women in a positive, practical way ' but he is nowhere to be seen." "The importance of women's policy to Labour equals any other area of policy, which is why Labour has a specific section in its. manifesto for women. "We explicitly recognise the contribution made by women working in the home and in the community in our policy. as well as women in . the paid workforce. The work of women in the home and the community is not measured in our gross national product statistics but I hope we may dispel the myth that their work is less valuable than those in paid employment outside the home,” Mrs Hercus said.