Too important to put in the too-hard basket

The Treasury’s refusal to put this year’s Budget through a gender lens makes no sense and must be reconsidered.

The proposal by Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter would go a great way towards ensuring a fair allocation of Budget money towards a section of society that still hurts from inequality — and is likely to hurt further as the effects from the Covid-19 pandemic deepen.

Treasury was presented with the chance to change that — and decided it just couldn’t be bothered.

Women are continually disadvantaged in New Zealand and this decision from Treasury hurts them further. Inaction hurts.

In a country that still does not have pay parity and where women have been severely affected by the financial downturn from Covid-19, a gender lens is not just desirable: it’s essential.

We know for all its modern advancements, New Zealand’s society is still not equitable. New Zealand wāhine are still disadvantaged on many levels compared to their male counterparts. That’s why we need a Minister for Women.

Treasury made the decision to refuse this gender lens before Covid-19 hit the country. But if anything, the pandemic has only served to show us how desperately we need to fight for a fairer society for Kiwi men and women.

The “and” in that sentence above makes all the difference. This isn’t about being divisive.

The reality is that, despite coming from the Minister for Women, the idea of a gender lens wouldn’t just benefit women. Any intelligent man knows gender equality benefits everyone.

The rights of New Zealand citizens are not finite — ensuring they reach all women doesn’t mean taking them away from men. It means ensuring they reach everybody. Every citizen. Every taxpayer. Every human.

Treasury put equality in the “too hard” basket.

This is something that should have been addressed decades ago. It wasn’t. We’re still here. It’s not too late.