Labour's spokesperson for women Jan Tinetti is criticising what she calls "misogynistic comments" made by senior male members of the coalition, including a statement by Police Minister Mark Mitchell who said he didn't know "if a gang member wants to deal with a perimenopausal woman."
During Question Time at Parliament, Tinetti asked the Minister for Women whether she had confidence the government was "advocating on behalf of, and prioritising issues pertaining to, women?"
Minister Judith Collins, answering on behalf of Minister for Women Nicola Grigg, said "yes."
Jan Tinetti has called out the government over comments she says are "misogynistic", and questioned whether they can represent women effectively (file photo). Photo: Phil Smith
Tinetti followed up by asking "How can she have confidence that the government is prioritising issues pertaining to women when the Minister of Police, Mark Mitchell, joked in an interview, "I don't know if a gang member wants to deal with a perimenopausal woman"?
Mark Mitchell (file photo) Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Collins paused before answering, looked back at her colleague Mark Mitchell, and the Speaker said "The look would probably give us an answer, actually!"
Collins then replied saying: "Let me just say this..."
"We women have put up with a lot. And I know this: Minister Mitchell is the strongest advocate against the violence that gangs mete out to women that I have seen, and I fully support him in standing up against the gangs. As for his little statement, I'll deal with that later!"
Tinetti then referenced comments by David Seymour while in opposition, where he stated: "The gender pay gap exists when you have to be there late at night to make the sale, put in the extra hours, and do all the extra things that women are often unavailable to do because of the way gender roles work."
David Seymour (file photo) Photo: VNP/Louis Collins
Collins' response indicated she was "one of those women who is always there late at night working" and always had been in her working life.
"I know that sometimes women do get a very hard time and different treatment, and that is why we stand up for women. The best thing we can all do is to acknowledge women, stand up for each other no matter what, and no matter our political affiliations, which is not something I've always felt from that side of the House."
Tinetti also asked whether the Minister for Women thought it was appropriate for "Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court to tell women what period products to use to save money?"
Judith Collins (file photo) Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Collins responded by saying "I think it's amazing, because I don't need to worry about those sorts of things any more, and I'm just so grateful for the fact that this man is actually interested in it, because I sure as hell am not."
Following Question Time, Tinetti said she took the question because she was really frustrated "women are being put on the back burner by this government."
"They're absolutely misogynistic comments, and that's why they need highlighting as to how this government doesn't take women's issues seriously."
Simon Court (file photo) Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
In particular, Tinetti took issue with Simon Court's statement, saying it really rankled her.
"When I was leading the work on the free period products in school, it was really important that no man or no person told a girl nor a woman how to manage their period."
She said she was disappointed by Collins' answers, because it "almost legitimised Simon Court and his answers last week, and they should never be legitimised."
Judith Collins said after Question Time that her male colleagues were happy she'd "reminded them" of things, but added she thought the focus needed to be on what's important for most women, like "not living with violence, having a fair go at work, all those sorts of things."
Collins said she was happy to "have a laugh at Jan Tinetti's expense".
"Some of that questioning was just ridiculous," she said, "but all power to her."
Collins said there was sexism "everywhere", including from "some females too", and people need to start treating others "like they're humans."
She said Mitchell had since told her the comments were "completely out of context."
Minister Judith Collins looks back at colleague Mark Mitchell after Labour's Jan Tinetti brought up comments he made about women in a previous interview. Photo: Supplied / Parliament
"It was banter in an interview with Leah Panapa, who brought it up herself," Mitchell said.
Collins said she was not his mother and does not answer for him.
In regards to Seymour's comments, Collins said she had not noticed that because she was always worked late and had other responsibilities.
Seymour said he stood by the comments, made in the context of the Epsom debate, where he was referencing the work of Claudia Goldin, "who has since won the Nobel Prize in economics for her work on key drivers of gender differences in the labour market."
In response to the exchange, Court told RNZ he thought it was "brave of Jan to challenge Judith like that."
"I wouldn't have dared."
Winston Peters wouldn't be drawn into the issue, but fellow NZ First MP Shane Jones said: "You're taking your life into your own hands if you talk about women's issues and the other side of the House is Judith Collins."
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