Story: Women’s movement

Women's Electoral Lobby

Women's Electoral Lobby

The basic beliefs and goals of the Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) were succinctly expressed in this 1984 pamphlet. It argued that a Parliament dominated by men was out of balance, and that women had a different perspective from men and would make a valuable contribution. The leaflet also called for support – votes and money – for female candidates. Three of the eight women then in Parliament had been members of WEL. Two of the three – Ruth Richardson and Margaret Shields – would become Cabinet ministers. When the third – Marilyn Waring – voted with the Labour opposition on a nuclear-free New Zealand bill in 1984, it prompted Prime Minister Rob Muldoon to call a snap election, which his party then lost.

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Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
Reference: Ephemera-Women's Issues-HQ 1831 (4)

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How to cite this page:

Megan Cook, 'Women’s movement - Economic and political equality', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/27916/womens-electoral-lobby (accessed 18 April 2024)

Story by Megan Cook, published 5 May 2011