An extraordinary day
Today’s special edition of the Herald is guest edited by Jacinda Ardern and celebrates the anniversary of women winning the right to vote on September 19, 1893. Inside, we follow 24 hours in the lives of everyday Kiwi women and ask, 125 years later, if their voices are heard.
A century and a quarter ago the suffrage movement gave New Zealand women the right to vote, and with it a voice.
Five generations after the battle was won, we captured the lives of New Zealand women over 24 hours in 2018 and asked them whether their voice is heard today.
12am TANIA IOAPO , 33 Auckland Airport Airfield Operations Team Leader, Auckland
My team’s primary role is to ensure safe and efficient airfield and aircraft operations from touchdown to take-off.
It’s my first week in the leadership role. It’s a significant step up for me as the massive responsibility of managing the overall operation of the airfield, not to mention when things go wrong, lies with me.
I’m from the Cook Islands and for me to come here with English as my second language was a big challenge. I’ve worked hard and fought my way up to be in a position of respect and responsibility.
I have a voice, and people listen to me, I’m able to accomplish difficult tasks in a high-pressure environment to ensure a good outcome.
1am JADE SEATOR , 21 Police Officer, Tauranga
I feel we as a country have come a long way and continue to grow and strengthen women’s rights and equality.
For example the New Zealand Police include the core value of “valuing diversity” which I believe includes women in the organisation and upholding this value in our work with the public.
In today’s society I do feel my voice is heard.
2am SARAH McMINN , 36 Online Health And Wellness Business Owner, Rangiora
Since studying Kate Sheppard in school in 1993, I’ve always felt empowered as a New Zealand woman, that I have a voice.
On becoming a mum, I left working for a large corporation where roles were equal but the pay wasn’t, and started an online business aligned to give everyone a voice.
I work around our daughters’ needs and that’s the role model I want to be for them.
3am
KAREN OAKLEY ,54 Clinical Nurse Specialist, Makarau
Yes, I do ... I am the only female in a house of five males so I’ve learned how to make myself heard!
At a national level, we [women] have come a long way but we can still go further. There’s still the issue of equal pay. But, the way we’re going, I don’t think it’s going to be an issue for much longer.”
4am REJINA BHATTARAI ,24 Baker, Auckland
Yes, it is heard. In my workplace, it’s 50/50. It’s not about the gender, it’s all about the post you’re holding. That’s all that matters over here.
5am
NIVA RETIMANU ,50 Newstalk ZB Breakfast Newsreader, Auckland
As a radio newsreader, my voice is heard loud and clear across the airwaves from 5 o’clock every weekday morning. But as a woman in 2018, is my voice really heard? My workplace encourages me to be the best I can be.
I’m not one to rest on my laurels. I’m aware women need to keep pushing the boundaries.
“The number of ways to live in one lifetime is limitless. So why limit yourself?” — Suzy Kassem.
6am CARLY PARKER ,27 Cardrona Alpine Resort Events Supervisor, Wanaka
When I first came into the role in 2013, I was one of the three ladies in a crew of 17.
This winter we have nearly 50 per cent of females representing our events team.
The skills I have learned on the job involving tools and machinery has been a huge advantage to my everyday life.
I believe my voice is heard in the way our department has grown over the years into a highperformance delivery events team with a perfect balance of males to females.
7am KATHY LYNCH ,60
Mercy Hospice Clinical Nurse Specialist, Auckland
Yes I do believe that my voice as a woman is heard today.
As a registered nurse working in palliative care I clearly experience our voices, as women, being heard.
The majority of healthcare providers in palliative care are women. I believe we make a vital contribution to the wellbeing of New Zealand society.
As a Sister of Mercy I recognise that the contribution we are able to make today is in a large part due to the foresight and selfless work of many courageous women of past generations.
8am SHAUNEY MCINTYRE ,26 Dairy Farmer, Methven
Yes I do ... i work in an industry which has been predominantly and traditionally male-based; however in the past 10 years there has been a huge shift within the dairy sector and we are seeing a lot more women coming through — even in higher managerial roles.
I think women on the whole still find it very hard competing on a physical level with males, so there are still questions around whether or not there is equal opportunity when it comes to securing jobs.
However with such a strong women’s dairy network in New Zealand now, it is only onwards and up for women in the dairy industry.
9am ANTONIA MURPHY ,43 Ethical Brothel Owner, Whangarei
My message is that safe, legal sex work can give women a path to financial freedom.
That’s hard for people to hear — it makes them uncomfortable.
10am
FIONA CULLINEY , 32 Crown Prosecutor, Auckland
I am fortunate enough to work in an organisation which values and supports women. So in that sense, yes, my voice is heard.
However, the situation is slightly different in the courtroom.
The environment is changing and I applaud those who are encouraging and enforcing change, but I still encounter sexism and discrimination all too frequently in and out of the courtroom, both from other practitioners and, on occasion, from the court itself.
11am LYNDA WHITEHEAD ,69 Tranzaction NZ Chairwoman / Signwriter, Christchurch
Yes, I have a voice, and as a trans woman, it’s a loud and proud one.
This year we celebrate 125 years of women’s suffrage; brave women fought for recognition and the right to vote, they won.
Today trans people fight for the right to be accepted and to live peacefully in a fair and just society.
12pm GRACE HEMARA-TYLDEN , 18 St Joseph’s Māori Girls’ College Student, Napier
No, as I believe my concerns as a young Māori woman are not heard, and I can say this is the reality for all young women of my generation of upcoming leaders of Aotearoa.
1pm PRIMLA KHAR, 50’s GP/NZ Indian Central Association Womens’ Forum Chairwoman, Auckland
Availing my voting right in all competing decisions makes my voice heard. Sound education and financial independence strengthens my voice. Despite this I still feel the need to facilitate other women’s voices who, due to cultural taboos, have been muted.
2pm BRIDGET CARTER , 36 Predator-Free Rakiura Project Manager, Halfmoon Bay (Stewart Island)
Yes, by those who are willing to listen.
The question for us all is how to listen and exercise compassion among the shouts of those with shameless, divisive, selfpromoting agendas?
As we celebrate 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand, we can respect the hard work and freedom, earned by those who came before, by ensuring equality starts with our own behaviour toward others. Divisions set aside.
3pm
SALEIMA CHARLTON , 80 Auckland
I know my voice is heard and valued because I am the mother and matriarch of our family.
But I also know it’s time to listen to my children about what they want for me and for our family.
I know one day I will go back to Samoa to live my final days and they will be with me too, to support me always.
4pm YI SMALL , 50
Disabled Persons Assembly Board Member, Te Puke
Yes, my voice is heard. I think I’m very out there, that’s my attitude.
I have my opinion and I don’t wait for people to say ‘What do you think?’
5pm BETHANY HUTT , 23 Recruitment Consultant, Nelson
Upon reflection, I do feel like my voice is heard, however it’s a hard question. In general, yes in my everyday life and work I think it’s heard; to be honest it’s something I have not given much thought to before now.
6pm SHAYMAA ARIS , 23 Refugee Adviser, Auckland
My voice being heard doesn’t matter so long as the voices of my people aren’t heard.
I chose this because there are vulnerable people, struggling in unimaginable ways. I saw it myself when I was assisting in Greece and I felt my heart break when I saw my people being silenced and thrown to the side as if they were trash.
And now my two friends are arrested in Greece for rescuing refugees who have made their way from Izmir to Lesvos shorelines. And if they aren’t heard, then I am not heard.
7pm SISILIA ETEUATI , 39 Legal Counsel, Auckland
My voice is a Samoan woman’s voice, a voice of a single mother, the voice of a lawyer and a writer.
My experience as to whether I’m heard too often depends on people’s perceptions and bias about when and how much voices such as mine should speak and the way in which we should do so.
While it is encouraging to see increased Pasifika representation in the halls of power, there is still so much more that needs to be done in politics, in arts and culture, in addressing our higher gender wage gap and in everyday life to ensure Pasifika women and our diverse voices are heard.
8pm TINA STEPHENS , 42 Retail Manager, Rotorua
Yes and no.
Yes: It is not only a right but a responsibility. Who governs our country is dependent on our vote. I hope voting becomes compulsory in New Zealand.
No: Te Arawa where I am born and bred prohibits women to speak on a marae, yet my iwi Ngapuhi does not. To me this protocol is a reflection of the fact that women are not valued.
Who has more influence over governing this — male or female?
9pm MIHAD-HODAN ISMAIL YUSUF ,22
Victoria University Student, Wellington
I do believe we have come a very long way since the suffrage gave women the right to vote, but with saying that there are still many, many issues we still face today.
As a young black Muslim women, I personally don’t believe my voice or the voices of black Muslim women, not just in New Zealand but around the world, are being heard at all.
The suffrage was an incredibly great movement and has changed the lives of many women but how often do we ask ourselves “Did that impact also include/affect the lives of other minority women?”
10pm DONOGH REES ,58 Actress, Auckland
Firstly, the parameters to answer in only two or three sentences makes it hard to express the whirlwind of answers in my head.
Secondly, within my industry I do not see women within my age bracket being visible/vocal and fully dimensional on screen or on stage in NZ productions.
And thirdly women being back into the workforce, post-having children (through necessity) is taking away our voice in bringing up our own and thereby muffling their voices too.
11pm BETH EYNON-RICHARDS ,54 Boutique Wool Shop Owner, Auckland
As a woman of this age, actually I feel increasingly disillusioned and less seen.
For me I feel that I’m highly educated and professionally trained, I’m aware, I’m involved, but because I’ve got grey hair I’m invisible. I’ve got a life of valuable experience and yet I’ve got no place to express it because I’m not in the boardroom anymore.