Christchurch Women's Refuge

Thank you for the invitation to be part of this official opening of the new Community Premises of Christchurch Women’s Refuge.

Acknowledgements:
·Richard Tankersley
·Annette Gillespie and team
·Deputy Mayor Carol Evans
·Fellow MPs Clayton Cosgrove, Marc Alexander and David Carter
·Representatives of police, financial supporters, government departments and community agencies.

When I look at the achievements of the women’s movement and the position of women in New Zealand today, I’m struck by two things:
·firstly, the enormous progress that has been made – thanks largely to people like you; and
·secondly, how far we still have to go in many areas, including in addressing domestic violence.
·secondly, how far we still have to go in many areas, including in addressing domestic violence.

I want to talk briefly both about the achievements of the past and the job still to do, because I find that the debate often focuses on one or the other, and you can only get a balanced view and develop good policy if you understand both.

People who focus only on what has been achieved often fall into the trap of arguing that there is nothing more to do.

When the four top constitutional roles in New Zealand – the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, the Chief Justice, and the Attorney General – are all held by women, they say, then surely we have arrived. Women have the same legal status and the same opportunities as men, so it's all down to individuals making the most of those opportunities.

This position is not so much a celebration of the achievements of a century-and-a-half of women's struggle, as a turning away from the issues still confronting us. The analogy that comes to mind is of driving while looking the in the rear-view mirror and never out the front window. It's not a safe way to drive and it's not a safe or sensible way to run the country.

On the other hand, I find that most New Zealanders, both men and women, are genuinely proud of the progress made by women, and particularly that we were the first country in the world to give women the vote.

It's important that we acknowledge such achievements and it is worth reflecting on how much better women's circumstances and opportunities are now, than in 1983 when the right to vote was won.

I would argue that we have also come a long way since 1954 when the first Family Planning Clinic was opened in the face of bitter opposition from many doctors.

And since 1957 – the year I was born, but more significantly, the year the Council for Equal Pay and Opportunity was set up.

And since the 1970s when the burgeoning of the women's movement gave rise to huge changes in attitude and a raft of new organisations promoting almost every aspect of women's rights and development – including the launch of the first women's refuge in Christchurch in 1973.

I think we can even argue there have been positive changes since 1987 when the first Maori women's refuge was established, or 1989 when the first refuge for Pacific women was created.

It is important to remember these milestones: firstly to acknowledge the struggle and determination of those who fought for change, and secondly to remind us both that change was achieved and that further change is both necessary and possible.

Fifty years ago, we couldn't even have a national debate about family violence, but now we can and are having that debate; trying to understand and address the factors that lead to violence – and protect and help the victims of violence.

Laws have changed but, more importantly, attitudes are changing. The government has played a part.

But it was the women's movement and organisations like Women's Refuge that largely put the family violence issue on the agenda; that have been the first with practical responses; and that have worked with the Police, the judiciary and others to change their belief and practices.

Women's Refuge's recent report on the Implementation of the Domestic Violence Act is a further and useful step in this process.

You are critically aware of the problems, because you come across them as you work to support women who are trying to free themselves from abusive relationships.

These aren't academic problems – they impact directly and negatively on the lives of women and children. Protection orders that are unreasonably delayed, circumvented or inadequately enforced mean some women are subject to further violence. In the worst cases, women die.

So addressing violence against women and children is clearly one area where we still have a lot to do and where both government and non-government organisations have important roles to play.

Government needs organisations such as the Refuge as partners, and also as an occasional thorn in the side, promoting change and reminding us what needs to be done.

We will do our best to get the right policy, laws and enforcement, but violence is not something that the government alone can fix. Ultimately every New Zealander has to take more personal responsibility.

We all need to be more aware of the impacts of our actions in our relationships; in the way we tolerate or ignore violence in our families and communities; as parents on the sidelines at our kids’ sports matches; and in our attitudes towards bullying at work and in our schools.

Violence is our problem, not someone else’s, and only we can fix it, as individuals and by working together.

Well-being
For the government’s part, reducing violence and crime directed at women is a major part of the Action Plan for New Zealand Women I launched last year.

Te Rito: The New Zealand Family Violence Prevention Strategy is a crucial element of programmes to promote well-being, an area that also includes initiatives in health and services for people with disabilities.

The other two plants of the Action Plan also address issues where women still face inequality or disadvantage relative to men. These broad areas of work are economic sustainability and work-life balance.

Economic sustainability
Economic sustainability is largely about women having enough income to do the things they need to do, to care for themselves and their families.

It will be no surprise to you that women make up more than 80 per cent of sole parent families and are over-represented in lower-income groups.
Major developments in the level of family income assistance announced in the Budget represent an important step forward. The government’s aim is to ensure work pays, ensure families have enough income to give their children a good start in life, reduce the barriers to work, simplify the benefit structure and ensure people receive their full entitlement.

The new regime will affect 61 per cent of all families with dependent children, netting them on average an addition $66 a week. Families in the lower income range ($25,000-$45,000) will net around $100 a week.

Work-Life Balance
The third major area of focus for the Action Plan is work-life balance, which emerged strongly as an issue during the consultation phase of the plan, and was raised particularly by Maori and Pacific women.

Maori and Pacific women face particular stresses because of their broader family responsibilities, concentration in low paid work, higher level of community work and the younger age structure of their population groups.

One major practical response to this was the budget initiative that makes many more families eligible for childcare subsidies and significantly increases the rates of subsidy.

The other important thing about the plan is that it is a whole-of-government approach to improving opportunities for women. Delivering it will involve the operation of many government agencies and I’m happy to say that the evidence so far is that agencies are working well together to deliver the results demanded.

Of course, change doesn’t happen in any area just because the government is working more effectively. As I have already said, that requires the commitment of us all – central and local government, business, the state sector, the community and voluntary sector, doing paid and unpaid work.

I believe our success depends on our ability to work together, to build on our collective strengths and to respect our differences. I am committed to ensuring that I, and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, work collaboratively with groups such as Women’s Refuge.

We value the work you do and I wish you well for the future. You will be able to do that work in comparative comfort in your new premises.

Thank you.