New Horizons for Women Trust South Island Awards Ceremony

Debating Chamber,
Our City O-Tautahi,
Christchurch

Thank you for the opportunity to both attend and speak at tonight’s New Horizons for Women Trust Awards Ceremony. It is an honour and a privilege to hear the stories of these remarkable women and to pay tribute to the Trust and the other sponsors for offering support to these women who are accessing second-chance education or training or undertaking research.

The Trust has gone from strength to strength over the 15 years it has existed and over that time has presented 143 awards to New Zealand women. This is an impressive total and something of which to be proud – because you are walking the talk of assisting and encouraging women to reach their full potential in life.

I enjoy attending these events because of the stories. I attended an event hosted by Zonta in Napier last week, where the story was very similar to one we have heard tonight. A woman working her way through a Bachelor of Nursing degree, planning to devote her second career to palliative care. The award makes the difference – not so much in terms of carrying on, because the commitment is already there. It is the acknowledgement that it isn't easy, and that support is available.

Over the years the Trust has chosen women who come from a variety of backgrounds and personal circumstances. From some of the stories I have read, not just this year, but over the years, there appears in each one a common thread and that is one of adversity or barrier to learning that would have challenged many of us.

The other common thread is the determination to overcome that adversity or confront the barrier to learning in a way that is worthy of the award that is granted to them.

But this would not be possible without sponsors and Trust supporters and tonight is also a tribute to each of them and we congratulate them for this investment in the future of these women.

Education is an issue that I feel very passionately about, particularly in the context of the advancement of women. Just over three weeks ago we celebrated Suffrage Day – the 113th anniversary of women winning the right to vote. Those early suffragists who fought so hard for political rights also realised the importance of education for women, because education is about empowerment.

It has been interesting looking at some of the research that is coming out over the last few years, particularly as longitudinal studies start to tell us something about the correlation between family circumstances and the risks and opportunities they present to the children as they grow up. The biggest predictor of educational outcomes for children is the mother's educational outcomes. This makes sense because a lot of what children achieve is based on the expectations that are set for them – in the home and at school. A child cannot aim high if they are looking at the ground.

It doesn't appear to matter that Mum took on the challenge of further education after the children were born. It is about setting goals and meeting them that matters and that is a skill we hand down to our children by teaching them or leading them by example.

The advantage of second-chance education is that it increases the potential of the whole family by increasing the likelihood of more rewarding work – both financially and personally; and research tells us that the higher the qualification the less the gender pay gap. (Although it is still there even for University graduates, but that is a story for another occasion.)

Something that kept crossing my mind when reading through some of the profiles of last year’s and this year's award winners, was ‘how do they manage to balance it all?’ The reality is that although we talk about work-life balance, women do a great deal more juggling of responsibilities, undertake more unpaid work, and are still largely the primary carers in the home. I think this is why the work of the Trust adds so much value.

I was interested to read in the Trust's most recent newsletter that the question of whether you should aim to work yourselves out of a job was asked at one of your planning meetings. This is also a question the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has asked itself. As we celebrated our 20th anniversary earlier this year, we used the milestone as a time to take stock of how far we have come and how much further we have to go. The first Minister of Women’s Affairs, Dame Ann Hercus, said at the time the Ministry was set up that, and I quote: ‘We are the only government department working for our own demise.’

But the challenge that was set for the Ministry has not yet been met. David Lange said at the opening of the Ministry 'It must work the system. It must challenge the system. In the end it must change the system'. The challenge was 'to demolish the structure of inequality'.

We haven't done that yet and in many ways I don't think your job can be done until the Ministry's job is done. The structure of inequality is one of the reasons your contribution is needed.

I hope that the women who receive these awards play a role in demolishing the structure of inequality in the future.

Until that day I’m sure the Trust will continue to make a major contribution to improving the lives of women through education and research. And through those women you are also improving the lives and opportunities of whole families. As someone once said ‘Educate a man and you educate an individual – educate a woman and you educate
a family.’

The women we have recognised tonight have caring responsibilities, hold down jobs and contribute to their communities; they are valuable role models for the children in their families and for other women. In saying that, they represent a significant and untapped resource in our society. And each and every one of them is a source of inspiration to us all.

And on that note, I again congratulate all this evening’s award winners and wish the Trust all the best for its future work.

Thank you.