National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women: Forty Years of Work 1967-2007
Introduction
The purpose of marking NACEW's 40th anniversary is to provide a contemporary perspective on the progression of women's employment from NACEW's inauguration in 1967 to the present day with the aim of achieving a clearer understanding of the future agenda for women's employment.
In its 40 years, NACEW has had particular opportunities to make a difference to the employment of women. Working with social advocacy groups, Council members have worked for better work conditions for women, and supported their participation in the workforce. Women's pay, the ability to be in the paid workforce while caring for dependents, and women's choice of work have all been of concern to NACEW.
To mark its 40th year, the Council wants to look back at its achievements and successes, as well as look to the future to the changes still required to ensure NACEW's vision of 'a good deal on women and work' is achievable in New Zealand. It also wants to ensure its vision is reinforced by its mission statement 'to open as many doors as possible for women in the world of quality work'.
The purpose of this document, therefore, is to review NACEW's contribution to policy and perspectives related to the employment of women based on our own records. The paper considers each of the broad areas that NACEW has worked on.
This paper is looking back in order to inform NACEW's future work and enables NACEW to reflect on where it has been most effective as well as where change has not been as prompt as it would have liked.
For this review the annual reports[1] have been summarised and other publications referred to as required. Currently, a complete set of NACEW's annual reports is not held at the National Library of New Zealand (NLNZ). As part of the work programme for the 40 year celebration, a complete set will be lodged at NLNZ. When further details were required, confirmation was sought from other sources such as NACEW's files at Archives New Zealand and NLNZ which holds copies of most NACEW publications. A bibliography has also been prepared as part of the work to mark NACEW's 40th anniversary.
Membership and role
NACEW was set up in 1967 following lobbying by the Joint Committee on Women and Employment, which represented the New Zealand Federation of Business and Professional Women, the New Zealand Federation of University Women,[2] YWCA of New Zealand, and the New Zealand National Council of Women. Ten members attended the inaugural meeting on 21 February 1967 including two departmental representatives and five ministerial appointees. By its third year, the membership of NACEW was formalised to include members from the Federation of Labour[3] and the New Zealand Employers' Federation[4]. At the time of its tenth anniversary in 1977, NACEW included representatives from the State Services Co-ordinating Committee[5] and the Combined States Services Organisation, and in the 1990s representation on NACEW was extended to include representatives of the Office of Youth Affairs,[6] Te Puni Kokiri[7] and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs.[8]
The Council also formalised its terms of membership in 1978 stipulating that members would be appointed for a term of three years with the possibility of two further three-year terms. The Chair's term was for a maximum of five years allowing a total of 12 years on the Council.
As set out in its Terms of Reference NACEW's role is to:
- advise the Minister of Labour on matters referred by him/her concerning the employment of women;
- express views and make recommendations as appropriate to the Minister of Labour on matters relating to the employment of women;
- make representations or submissions as appropriate to public bodies such as Commissions of Inquiry subject to the approval of the Minister; and
- promote the dissemination of information on the employment of women in New Zealand and overseas.[9]
[1] The financial year for NACEW ended on 31 December from 1967 to 1987. These annual reports are cited as Annual Report (YYYY). The next annual report is for the fifteen-month period 1 January 1988 to 31 March 1989. The following annual report is also for a fifteen-month period namely 1 April 1989 to 30 June 1990. The subsequent annual reports are from 1 July of the year to 30 June of the following year eg NACEW Annual Report 1998/1999 is for the period 1 July 1998 to 30 June 1999.
[2] Now known as the Federation of Graduate Women.
[3] Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) was formed from the amalgamation of the Federation of Labour and the Combined States Services Organisation and now has a representative on NACEW.
[4] Now known as Business New Zealand and still has a representative on NACEW.
[5] In 1988 the State Services Co-ordinating Committee became the State Services Commission.
[6] NACEW Annual
Report 1989/90, p. 7. Later Ministry of Youth Affairs and now
Ministry
of Youth Development.
[7] NACEW Annual Report 1993/94, p. 7.
[8] NACEW Annual Report 2002/2003, p. 4.
[9] NACEW Annual Report 1976, p. 4.
