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Janet, New Zealand Country Contact: [email protected]

WDI Australia and New Zealand Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/WDIANZ

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Latest news

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Recent reports

Download the letter to the CEDAW Committee from WDI NZ and the WRP 12 May 2024

Download the latest report from New Zealand - April 2023 - Feb 2024

Download the report from New Zealand, Jan - April 2023

Download the report from New Zealand, December 2022

Download the report from New Zealand, December 2021

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WDI NZ & WRP respond to questionnaire by Professor Daphna Hacker, the CEDAW Committee and the Task Force on Gender/Sex Self-Identification

In May 2024,  the Women's Declaration International- New Zealand and the Women's Rights Party jointly wrote a letter to the Committee of CEDAW (The Convention for the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women 1979), expressing  concerns  about  questions they were circulating about including gender identity as a right in law.

Instead of affirming the sex-based rights for women, which are clearly laid out in CEDAW, it appeared  that the Committee could be considering re- interpreting CEDAW as providing rights to a “gender identity", thereby including men who identify as women in the category of women.

If this path were followed, women’s rights would no longer have any protection under CEDAW and CEDAW would cease to have any meaning. It would not be the correct function of the CEDAW Committee to undermine CEDAW in this way.

Link to full response (PDF format)

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Key Events April 2023 to February 2024

Click here to see the full report

Events from April 2023 onwards reverberated with the effects of the violence towards women at the Let Women Speak event at Albert Park, with Kellie-Jay Keen, on 25 March, 2023.

Events were also marked by the build up to, and aftermath of, the New Zealand general election which saw a change of government to a coalition of centre to right-wing parties.

For details of the 25 March event, including details about the media bias, see the previous report from New Zealand, Jan - April 2023.

Responses and Follow Up to Violence Against Women (VAW), at the Let Women Speak Event, Albert Park, Auckland 25 March 2023:

In July, the United States band Whistle created a song, Let Women Speak, honouring women at Albert Park.

https://whistle.bandzoogle.com/track/3427154/let-women-speak

In April, The Free Speech Union (FSU) wrote an open letter of complaint to the Police Commissioner, complaining about the police inaction at Albert Park. It was signed by 23,000 people.

In April, the Women’s Rights Party (WRP) was formed because no other party was supporting women’s rights and the police had done nothing to protect women from violence.

In April, the Free Speech Union hosted a visiting speaker Nadine Strossen, former leader of the ACLU. She spoke about how the violence at Albert Park was an example of the Thug’s Veto; which prevented women from exercising their freedom of speech.

In June the Independent Police Conduct Authority( IPCA) began an investigation following multiple complaints about the police behaviour. They are due to issue a report in June 2024.

In September, the FSU hosted a debate on the importance of freedom of speech, featuring Professor Holly Lawford-Smith, women’s rights activist, as one of the key debaters.

There were many complaints about how the bias of the mainstream media helped to contribute to the violence at Albert Park and about how the event itself was misreported.

Andrew Doyle, UK, made a telling critique of the absurdity of a TV3 news item.

https://twitter.com/andrewdoyle_com/status/1640082435806310401

Laura Lopez wrote a notable critique of NZ media.

https://quillette.com/2023/05/04/the-auckland-mobbing-of-kellie-jay-keen-was-fuelled-by-media-peddled-misinformation/

There were 16 Complaints to the Media Council (MC) and the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA).

Only one complaint ( to the BSA) was partially upheld. A previous complaint from 2022, about the misreporting of information about puberty blockers, was upheld by the MC.

The BSA wrote new standards which would dismiss any future complaints about sex-based rights.

On 30-31 March, Eli Rubashkyn was charged with assault for throwing tomato juice on Kellie-Jay Keen and Tania Sturt. In October, efforts to get the charges dismissed failed.

The man who punched a 70+ years old woman at Albert Park was eventually arrested. He did not deny a charge of assault and was awaiting sentencing in 2023. Update: On 4 March 2024, the man was discharged without conviction and granted permanent name suppression.

Spark, a New Zealand telecommunications company, was boycotted after backing Shaneel Lal, who was notorious for making inflammatory statements about women’s rights activists, which contributed to events at Albert Park.

Despite the intimidation caused by the the violence against women at Albert Park, women continued to organise several events over the coming months.

These included:

  • Turn Up events organised by Women Act Up and Speak Up for Women, in Wellington, Nelson, Auckland and Hawkes Bay.
  • Suffrage Day events on 19 September, in Wellington Auckland, and the South Island organised by the Women’s Rights Party and others.
  • Let Women Speak on 20 September, St Patrick’s Square, Auckland
  • Voices for Children on 31 October in Wellington, organised by Mana Wāhine Kōrero.

Other Events

Legislation and Policy, Prior to the General Election.

Sex Self-ID came into effect on 15 June.

Corrections Regulations, adjusted for Sex Self-ID, came into force on 6 July

The Education Amendment Act was passed, which asks school boards to recruit members on account of their gender identities.

The Integrity Sport and Recreation Act was passed, which does not recognise women’s sex-based rights in sports.

The Law Commission was investigating how to include gender in future hate speech law and/or policy.

The government proposed appointing a new media regulator with draconian powers to censor social media.

The Disinformation Project (supported by government funding) claimed that transgender people received threats after 25 March at Albert Park.

Elizabeth Kerekere’s proposed amendment to the Human Rights Act (which would introduce gender identity and expression) was introduced into parliament.

Councils and Swimming Pools

Councils in Christchurch and Invercargill have misinterpreted legislation to claim that they cannot protect women’s spaces, such as changing rooms, in swimming pools.

The Christchurch Council is introducing a new equity and inclusion policy which makes no mention of biological sex.

These have been strongly challenged by women’s rights activists and community groups.

Puberty Blockers and health

Articles by Jan Rivers and Charlotte Paul about puberty blockers were featured in mainstream media.

A Genspect conference, discussing concerns about gender medicine, was held in November.

The Ministry of Health is reviewing its advice on puberty blockers

Midwifery

The Midwifery Council announced a Scope of Practice which erases the words woman, mother and baby.

This has led to protest from midwives and women, and a petition, which closed on 1 March.

General Election, 14 October

During the election campaign, Winston Peters, of New Zealand First expressed support for some sex -based rights. The Act Party expressed support for freedom of speech and belatedly started to question Sex Self-ID.

The Women’s Rights Party (WRP) achieved registration and put forward some candidates.

At the election, the Labour government was defeated.

After the election, A National-New Zealand First- Act Coalition was formed.

Some key policies in the coalition agreements include:

  • No funding for males in women’s sports.
  • The Relationships and Sexuality Education Guidelines, which currently promote gender education, will be dropped and replaced.
  • Universities’ funding will depend on respecting freedom of speech.

Supermarket ban

In late 2023/ early 2024, the The Otaki Supermarket banned a woman for wearing a gender-critical T Shirt.

Other Women’s Declaration related activity

Lesbian Resistance set up an Australia-New Zealand chapter of the WDI lesbian caucus.

Women’s Rights, Gender Wrongs Book was released in 13 October with a New Zealand Chapter.

UN Submissions

WRP Submission to the New Zealand Universal Periodic Review, October 2023

Click here to see the WRP submission.

Submissions to WHO, January, February 2024 by WDI-NZ, WRP and several others.

This has led to protest from midwives and women, and a petition (which would introduce gender identity and expression was introduced into parliament.

Joint submission to Reem Alsalem about Violence against Women and Girls and Prostitution, by WDI- NZ and WRP , 31 January

Click here to see the WDI-NZ and WRP submission.

WDI AU NZ Webinars featuring NZ speakers

26 June -Lesbian Resistance, Sabine Schneider

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhMFohKkWPo

30 September- Tania Sturt (Let Women Speak) and Chimene Del La Varis (Women’s Rights Party)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWzG8YWHPpI&list=PLWdSdWv0R1DtjIko-iWfh4iKJGaT5aEFZ

28 October -Jan Rivers- on gender medicine policy, Di Landy (Mana Wāhine Kōrero)- on Children’s Rights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSWwVCm8jqA&list=PLWdSdWv0R1DvTqPB-wohnbFoao_fdwPBb

25 November Suzanne Levy (SUFW)- on the new Government, Katrina Biggs - on Christchurch City Council

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BljiAp4QmOs

24 February 2024 Sarah Henderson and Deb Hayes - on the Midwifery Scope of Practice and the Petition, Ally-Marie Diamond on prostitution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RuIvn8X7_s&list=PLWdSdWv0R1Du7ktuQS7wj1qUhfWJ3ywem

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