Women’s place is in the House

Press, 28 October 1981, Page 14

Women’s place is in the House

By

BARBARA STEWART

"-This election year is extremely interesting from the point of more women than ever before are standing for election to Parliament. The National Party has selected 11 women, and the Labour Party has also selected 11 women. At the time of writing the selection committee of the Social Credit League had chosen seven women and the Values Party, six women. In the Canterbury region Ann Kerens is standing again for the Lyttleton seat, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan for Southern Maori, and Mary Batchelor for Avon. The new candidates include Ruth Richardson, the National Party nominee for Selwyn, Margaret Murray, the party’s nominee for Yaldhurst, and Louise Moore, the Social Credit League nominee for Fendalton. No other area in New Zealand has so many women standing in the election, so the people of Canterbury have a ring side seat to follow the fortunes of their election campaigns. Two opposing facts in New Zealand’s political history are that we were the first country in the world to give the vote to women in 1893, and yet in the succeeding decades there have been only 16 members of Parliament,

with Ann Hercus as the sixteenth. / ■■ That small number is an abject story of women’s involvement in the decisionmaking arena of our country. Is this our own fault? Are women, on the whole, not politically interested, and therefore not active? Or have we under-valued our abilities and allowed men the over-all right to make the laws of our land without our contribution?

An encouraging development in these times of women becoming more assertive is that selection committees for party candidates are looking for relatively young, qualified, personable, attractive women. Attractive is used here in the sense of personality, not merely appearance. The contemporary female candidate can be seen as a synopsis of the new liberal and humanitarian image the parties are aiming to achieve. Marily Waring represents this liberal attitude ... she is a woman, she is a the young-

est member ot Parliament for some years, an able, intelligent and hard working person, someone who has also' been controversial at times. -J .

New Zealand, like every other country, has aa very long way to go before equal representation of the sexes is achieved in Parliament. Our Parliament has 92

seats. As we have approximately fifty-fifty malefemale balance in the population so we should aim for approximately fifty-fifty representation in our Parliament.

But don’t knock the progress that is obviously being made. It is greatly encouraging to know of the large numbers of women attending and participating in their party conferences. Practice makes perfect, and the more we decide to join political parties and then become involved in their different aspects, then the more we understand the system. And understanding the system means we learn how to use, persuade, and manipulate.

These are not actions expressed to slur the reputation of being a politician, but are about understanding the play, and playing the game well so all points of view can be heard and debated, As Ruth Richardson said at a recent meeting: “Women up until now have been consumers of political decisions made for them — it is time for women to be producers in the decision-making.” Men do not have any monopoly, extra knowledge, or all the answers to what we need and must plan for as a nation. Men and women should plan together for our future development.

But in giving their talents as producers of policy, it must be understood that this is not just women’s politics — get rid of the notion of women’s anything — rather let’s call it human politics ..

. because we will work together. There are, of course, issues that concern women more than men, and to such particular problems women can contribute their special appreciation or knowledge. When women are fairly represented in Parliament then balance will be achieved.

We have to implement this change. There is a degree of self interest for men in maintaining the status quo. Why change what to them has been perfectly satisfactory for so long? Only some of our more enlightened men would admit to the necessity of equal numbers of women in Parliament.

We have to do the work for ourselves. We cannot expect handouts or token gestures. Women have to understand that we must do our fair share in order to gain our fair degree of involvement.

It is unfortunate that women have a reputation for so often not supporting each other. We haven’t had the same confidence in women as we have placed in men.

Lip service is given, but, in fact, inside, we have that sneaking bad habit of expecting everyone to conform to our own views. So that when a traditional pattern is broken we have been known to express our disapproval by a lack of assistance. A woman who has chosen to stand for election to Parliament has an extremely tough job ahead of her and needs all our support and encouragement. If you have a woman standing in your area you can join or form a support group for her. Women standing for Parliament need money. Running a campaign is very expensive, and women do not have the same financial backing as men. Also, they generally have not built up the same financial reserves through a long-term career or business.

Nothing is too small or big as a contribution, from $1 to $lOO, or more. On the personal level of support during the long hours of electioneering a candidate who is married and/or has a family might appreciate some help in ensuring that her home runs smoothly and efficiently. Men and women, women and men, all need ego boosting at times. Listen to your female candidate — tell her she’s great, and wonderful. Be sad with

her or roll with laughter at the mad things that must occur sometimes. To suggest that you blindly vote for a woman candidate in your area just because you are also a woman would be absurdly wrong. Each party has its own party policy which all its members must follow. Therefore voters should understand these policies, and vote according to how they see the country is to be led for the next three years. With more women being elected to Parliament the policies on both sides of the House will gradually reflect something of women’s interests.

But even though your political affiliations may be different from your local woman candidate it is still possible to give friendly help and understanding. Decisions affecting ourselves, our families, our children, and our country are made in Parliament. If we want changes the place where far-reaching legislative changes can be made is in Parliament.

What will be their fortunes on November 28?