Ministry Of Women’s Affairs Should Go

ACT New Zealand’s female MPs Hilary Calvert and Heather Roy agreed with the premise raised in Parliament today – that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is a sexist and historic relic that should be scrapped.

“This Ministry cost taxpayer’s nearly $5 million in the 2009/10 financial year, yet the recent ‘Census of Women’s Participation 2010’ shows that female participation in governance, professional and public life has begun to slide,” Ms Calvert and Mrs Roy said.

“This would show that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs isn’t doing what it purports to do.

“National MP Georgina Te Heuheu has described the Ministry as ‘action-packed’ – yet few could tell what the role of the Ministry is or what it produces.

“There are no Ministries of Men’s or Children’s Affairs – and nor should there be. If there were a case for ‘special attention’ it would our boys, who are failing in education and over-represented in crime statistics.

“There’s no reason the work of the Women’s Affairs Ministry couldn’t be absorbed into the research unit of the Social Development Ministry – and we suspect that some of the work is already replicated there. The Human Rights Commission is already fulfilling a watch-dog function.

“All Government departments should be responsible for – and take seriously – consideration of issues of gender equality, just as the private sector does without relying on a gender based body to abrogate any responsibility.

“If we really want to see strong economic growth in New Zealand, and catch Australia by 2025, the size of Government and its expenditure must be tackled seriously. Low-performing departments and Crown Entities – such as the Families Commission, Charities Commission, Sport and Recreation New Zealand – should be disbanded,” Ms Calvert and Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

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