President: Shayne Mathieson
The April newsletter celebrated the milestone of 56% of Auckland Law School’s new entrants being women.
The June newsletter raised concerns regarding allegations about the treatment of cervical cancer at the National Women’s Hospital:
“At issue are the rights women have or should have over our own bodies, and our access and right to knowledge about treatment concerning us…
…If we lose control or ownership or the right to care for our own bodies, then we have, in effect, lost us.”
AWLA asked members to take action by:
- Writing to their MPs, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Justice “urging them to reconsider the national importance of this issue for women, and therefore the responsibility of the Crown to pay for legal advice for all parties (after all, the University and the Hospital Board viewpoints are in effect being funded from public monies)”;
- Donating to Fertility Action to fund legal action;
- Giving time, expertise, and/or research to Fertility Action for use by its legal adviser; and
- Making submissions to the Commission on the draft legislation for the protection of patient’s rights.
AWLA hosted a women in partnership panel about women’s experiences in these roles. The speakers included Hon. Justice Anne Hinton, Sue Rhodes, Hon. Hannah Sargisson, and Joy Hooker.
In July, Sister Mary Foy of the Monte Cecilia Emergency Housing Centre and Janet Brannigan of the Auckland City Council Social Work Department spoke to members on the growing problem of homelessness.
The guest speaker of the Annual Dinner was the first woman appointed as the Ombudsman, Nadja Tollemache OBE.
In July, Sir Geoffrey Palmer KCMG AC KC PC presented his speech titled Women and Violence to members. He highlighted the alarming rise of violence in Aotearoa New Zealand, which was outpacing other developing countries by threefold. This surge was attributed to several factors: the influence of mass media like television and films, urbanisation eroding familial bonds, and technological advancements. There are also noted shifts in social attitudes, including the women’s movement, minority political and cultural identities, and a growing emphasis on personal freedom.
The speech highlighted that over 62 per cent of women frequently worry about crime and violence, particularly rape where men are predominantly perpetrators and women are victims. The unpredictable and brutal nature of these crimes is central to the fear women report. Palmer noted, “it is not the role of men to protect women. Because if men assume that role, it only adds to women’s powerlessness”.
He reported a clear link established between violent and sexual offences, prompting calls for new legislation to better recognise and punish such crimes. The Roper Report was referenced, advocating for media scrutiny, redefining gender roles, and addressing substance abuse through the Video Recordings Act 1987. Specific attention was paid to pornography, with plans for a committee to explore restrictions due to its perceived encouragement of male violence against women.
Palmer called for concerted efforts in legislation, community support, and societal change to curb violence and ensure safety for women in Aotearoa New Zealand. He recommended community interventions starting early in life to prevent these crimes.
AWLA made submissions to the working party on the status of women in the profession. The August – September 1987 newsletter noted that in response to these submissions, newspapers and the radio published one sensationalised sentence out of a 41 page report and ignored the majority of the substantive issues raised.
The August – September newsletter shared a copy of Hon. Anne Gambrill’s CNZM speech on her appointment as Master of the High Court, where she critiqued inequality:
- “Thank you for your kind words and encouragement given to me in accepting the appointment as Master. Despite reservations expressed that the title fails to recognise the role of women in the legal profession…”
- “… I am often asked why progress of women in our profession has been so slow, and until recently, numbers so small. And even today, with 14% of the profession being women, most of these women are under the age of thirty. I believe that the answer lies in the type of society we live in, and our lack of suitable childcare facilities. The problem will become more crucial, as 50% of the new graduates are women, and most professionals families are now dual career families. This means that many of the younger members of the profession will be burdened with the responsibility and cost of arranging for childcare, and the worry of trying to seek for it to extend beyond the hours of 9 to 5pm. It is generally only necessary for a few short years, and if we fail both to recognise this particular need and to give support, assistance and flexibility, we will lose a number of our younger members, particularly the women, and I believe the profession and the public cannot afford this loss.“
AWLA ran further events including an alternatives to traditional partnerships panel and a secretaries night, which involved a panel discussion and networking for legal secretaries.