September 19, 2018
Wahine history of busting barriers
Wahine history of busting barriers
It’s the 125th anniversary of New Zealand women winning the vote.
Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta says that’s a good reason to celebrate the role wahine Māori like Meri Te Tai Mangakahia played in the struggle.
She says the fact Māori women held land interests, which had been a key condition for voting in the British system, was critical to the way the debate evolved here.
"We can be really confident that right from the early days of ensuring there was a place for women in the political system, Māori women knew very quickly there should be no barriers on top of us. So to fast track today, we see more Māori women coming through to leadership positions but we can still do better," Ms Mahuta says.
The Government is looking at setting an equity target for appointments to boards and committees, and this year’s honour’s list will also demonstrate gender equity.
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