Women now hold top party posts

Press, 10 September 1984, Page 2

Women now hold top party posts

By

PATRICIA HERBERT

in Wellington

The election unopposed by Ms Margaret Wilson as Labour Party president at the week-end means that . three of New Zealand’s four main political parties now have women in leadership positions. With Mrs Sue Wood holding the National Party presidency and Mrs Janie Pearce the deputy leadership of the New Zealand Party, Ms Wilson’s appointment leaves only Social Credit lacking a woman in its top few places. Ms Wilson is a senior lecturer in law at the University of Auckland where she specialises in industrial and administrative legislation and in the law as it affects women.

She has also been actively involved over a number of years in trade union education seminars and has participated in conferences organised by women’s groups. Her thinking, on most issues is close to that of the retiring president, Mr Jim Anderton, and puts her slightly to the Left of the Government

Ms Wilson gave two reasons for seeking the presidency. They were to ensure the continued development of a strong, ef-

fective, socialist organisation that would ensure a win in the 1987 General Election, and to ensure that all sections of the party could participate fully in the policy-making process. She said in her acceptance speech to Labour’s “victory conference” at the week-end that she had agreed to stand as president because of the support she had received from women in the party. A feature of the conference was how well represented women were among the delegates and how strong was their voice.

Ms Wilson’s appointment reflects this and . she said that she regarded it as “a recognition of the contribu-

tion all women have made to the party.” She also made it plain to the Parliamentary team that she did not intend to allow the power held by the Labour organisation to slip back under her leadership. “The struggle does not end because we are in Government,” she said. “It merely changes in nature.” Ms Wilson said that her role as president was to keep the views, policies, and principles of the conference to the forefront and to strengthen its input into policymaking.

The remark struck a chord with the delegates and was applauded. She also said that the duty of the executive was to ensure that the wishes of the party were communicated, consistently and strongly, direct to the Parliamentary wing. “Some conflict in that position may arise in the future,” she said. “If it does, my first responsibility will be to the party.” Ms Wilson reminded Labour members of Parliament of the balance of obligation between them and the party organisation. “Governments are not created out of nothing,” she said. “They come first from their parties, so just as we have a responsibility to support our Government, we also have a right to vigorously pursue policies put in place at our conference.”

Ms Wilson is Labour’s first woman president and has sound party credentials, having held a variety of positions in the hierarchy.