In 1985 the Ministry of Women's Affairs was formed to bring women's perspectives to the attemtion of other government departments. The following year, when this photo was taken, the ministry's secretary (or head official) Mary O'Regan listed some of its activities as offering women's views on housing, reviewing equal pay and making submissions on the place and treatment of women and girls in the education system. Picture are (from left): Penny Fenwick (deputy secretary), Miriama Evans (director of Te Ohu Whakatupu, the Māori women's secretariat within the ministry), Mary O'Regan and Jill Abigail (director of information and liaison).