Human Rights Commission
Media Release
19 September 2007

Votes for women still an issue on Suffrage Day

Women are being urged to vote in the up-coming local body elections and to consider voting for quality female candidates.

“New Zealand needs to address the slippage in female representation,” says EEO Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor on Suffrage Day.

“Suffrage Day reminds us of the significance of women’s right to vote at a time when women are not doing so well in local body governance. We want women to vote next month and to think about casting a vote for the many outstanding female candidates.”

Dr McGregor has recently run workshops throughout New Zealand for women standing as mayors and councillors and for community boards and District Health Boards. “There is no shortage of outstanding women who want to be elected, they just need to be supported and given a chance.”

New Zealand has not yet reached the Commonwealth target of 30% female representation in local body governance and in 2004 women slipped to 27% of all regional councillors, city councillors, district councillors and mayors from 28% in 2001. Local body elections have also been marked by low voter turnout of 45% nationally.

“While women do much better on District Health Boards at 42.04% this partly reflects the addition of ministerial appointments to the boards on top of elected representatives.”

“When Kate Sheppard listed ten reasons why New Zealand women should vote in 1888, she said that women bring a different perspective, are as concerned as men with the nation’s prosperity, and “suffer equally with men from all national errors and mistakes.” These reasons stack up now as they did then”, said Dr McGregor.

ENDS

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