Most submissions swing in favour of Ministry
By
PATRICIA HERBERT
in Wellington Most of the almost 100 submissions received so far on the Ministry of Women’s Affairs support its establish- ■ ment. Most of those opposed are from individuals with the balance from Christian groups or from organisations with strong church links. These include the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child which objects to the Ministry because it believes it will be “prochoice” on abortion. Miss Patricia Barlett, representing the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards, has reservations on a different score. She points to an alleged bias in Labour’s policies on women towards the solo parent and the working woman. ■ “But we see no strong support designed to hold and strengthen the traditional family unit of working father, full-time homemaking mother, and children well cared for and supervised by their natural parents,” she said. “We hope the new Ministry will appreciate that the more married women encouraged into the workforce, the fewer jobs avail-
able for school-leavers. Thus the unemployment problem for youth is perpetuated.” Kiwi Forum Incorporated objects to the Ministry because it considers the concept discriminatory and thinks there is a risk that, in focusing on women, it will become “anti-family.” Other groups to present submissions opposing the Ministry were Christians of Carterton, the Christchurchbased Touch of Life Women’s Ministry, the Save our Homes Campaign, and the Pahiatua branch of the Catholic Women’s League. Some women, presenting their views as individuals, believe the Ministry is unnecessary because they are adequately protected by the Human Rights Act and the Equal Pay Act. They do not see the need, as one put it, to create "another bureaucratic giant.” A recurring grumble from those opposed was that, because of the disruption caused by the Christmas break, they had not been given sufficient time to prepare their submissions. Submissions were called on December 7 and closed on January 31. Among the groups which support the Ministry are the Public Service Association,
the National Council of Women, the Maori Women’s Welfare League, the Labour Women’s Council, Wellington Men against Sexism, Rape Crisis, Zonta, and the Lesbian Mothers Defence Fund. They line up with the Federation of University Women, the Society for Research on Women, the Women’s Electoral Lobby (Taranaki), the National Organisation for Women (Christchurch), and the PostPrimary Teachers’ Association. The University Students’ Association supports the establishment of the Ministry because “myths to the contrary, New Zealand is not an egalitarian society.” The association suggests a number of issues the Ministry might promote. Among these are: • An extension of affirmative action programmes into universities in both the employment and promotion of female staff and in access to all levels of tertiary education for women. • Improvement of subsidies, funding, facilities, and training for child care. • Encouragement of women into non-traditional areas of employment. • Recognition in law of
sexual harassment and the establishment of grievance procedures. The Federation of Labour believes it should concentrate, through the setting up of a low-paid unit, on the inequities women face in the workplace. Ms Sonya Davies, a member of the F.O.L. executive, and Ms Theresa O’Connell, a trade unionist, presented the F.O.L.’s submission yesterday.
They said economic inequality was basic to the problems confronting women and that the women’s movement had neglected the majority by concentrating on the upwardly mobile few. They saw the Ministry as an ideal vehicle to protect the low-paid because women comprised the bulk of low-paid workers and still earned, on average, only 76 per cent of the average male wage, even working full-time.
The Parliamentary select committee considering the legislation required to set up the Ministry — an amendment to the State Services Act — has been sitting three days and has only one day and one submission to go. It will meet again on Tuesday.
Most submissions swing in favour of Ministry
Press, 14 February 1985, Page 4
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