Shanks Katrina: Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Shanks Katrina: Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
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KATRINA SHANKS (National) 
: 
 I rise to speak to the Human Rights (Women in Armed Forces) Amendment Bill which I support. This legislation started as a member’s bill but has now been changed to a Government bill. Although this bill keeps abreast of modern times in ratifying the current situation the need for urgency is interesting indeed. The legislation has been out of date for 7 years; women have actually been allowed to go into combat for the last 7 years. 
The purpose of this bill is to repeal section 33 of the Human Rights Act 1993 in order to allow women employed in the armed forces to participate in active combat roles. This bill removes the last exemption for sexual discrimination in employment matters that applies to the armed forces. When the Human Rights Act was originally enacted the New Zealand Defence Force’s policy was not to allow women to go into combat. However for the past 7 years it has been the policy not to discriminate against women in the armed forces so at last the Government is keeping pace with the department. 
Currently the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan has 21 women out of 100 staff who are deployed there. They are doing a great job and the law will finally give recognition to those roles now and in the future. The roles that women play in making up any working environment add value to all aspects of the workplace. I am sure that when women are overseas on combat duty the contribution they make is outstanding. 
Women in the past have played significant roles during times of war. Due to the area they were in their contributions were limited to non-combat ones and normally to ones out of the Defence Force itself. But the roles they played were significant in the war effort. This step forward to allow women to enter active combat situations is one we can be proud of as we break down the last barriers for women in New Zealand. The women in New Zealand’s armed forces have worked hard to get themselves into the situation where they are seen as equals in an area that has been male-dominated for a very long time. Many women who have now left the armed forces should be proud of the recognition that they have earned for other women who are now in active combat positions. 
I must also highlight the issue that my colleague highlighted last week: the number of women in the armed forces. Women now have unlimited choices when it comes to selecting a career. Unfortunately a career in the armed forces does not seem to be attracting the same number of women as men. That is interesting considering there are more women in New Zealand than men. It now has to become a focus of concern that women are not entering the armed forces at the same rate as men. That needs to be addressed. In 2002 the overall percentage of female personnel in the New Zealand defence forces was 14.9 percent. In 2006 it was 16.5 percent. There now needs to be some accountability for the ratios that we have seen improving over the last 4 years by 1.6 percent—a rate that is below the improved rate in other industries. It is a challenge for us and for the defence forces to ensure that women want to enter this industry and to make it their career.