Genter Julie AnneMOTIONSWomen Winning the Right to Stand for Parliament—CentenaryHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Minister for Women): I move That this House celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to stand in parliamentary elections and the immense contribution that women MPs have made to Parliament and to Aotearoa New Zealand.Members of this House I rise to acknowledge that it is 100 years since the Women's Parliamentary Rights Act was passed and women were able to stand for Parliament in Aotearoa New Zealand. I begin today by quoting the member for Grey Lynn Mr John Payne in the debate on the Women's Parliamentary Rights Act in 1919: There was a time when women had not a soul to call her own. Her very property passed to her husband on her marriage. We have done away with that and have gradually come to recognize that woman is equal to man in being a thinking capable being. We have ceased to treat her as a chattel in very many things pertaining to her civil life and we now recognise that the time has come when women should stand on an equality with men not only in regard to entering the professions but also in representing their sex and families by directly having seats in this House and in the Upper Chamber." Today I want to salute the many women who have changed our history in Parliament and ultimately for women and girls in New Zealand. I salute three women who stood for Parliament unsuccessfully in 1919: Rosetta Baume Aileen Cooke and Ellen Melville. Although they didn't at first succeed they paved the way for our first woman member of Parliament Elizabeth McCombs in 1933. When she was elected the "No Women Permitted" sign over Bellamy's dining room came down. The wording of the swearing-in ceremony was altered and the Governor-General had to refer to "members" rather than "gentlemen" in the Speech from the Throne. McCombs was still not allowed into the inner sanctum of Bellamy's bar. I salute the first woman member of Parliament to be a Cabinet Minister Hon Mabel Howard in 1947. She was also the first woman to serve as a Cabinet Minister in any Commonwealth country. I salute Iriaka Rātana our first wahine Māori MP and also the first elected MP to become a mother. Iriaka was a passionate advocate for the welfare of her people. After giving birth to her seventh child in December 1949 she entered Parliament in 1950 and campaigned to improve the lives of her constituents. I salute Hon Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan our first Māori Cabinet Minister in 1972. Whetu was also our first sitting MP to give birth in 1970. She was back at work in Parliament two weeks after giving birth bringing her baby with her and also had her second child while in Parliament. I salute Hon Pansy Wong our first Asian woman MP in 1996. She was also New Zealand's first Asian Cabinet Minister. I salute Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban our first Pacific MP in 1999 and our first Pacific woman Cabinet Minister. And who could forget Georgina Beyer elected in 1999 our first transgender woman elected to Parliament—not only in New Zealand but in the world. In 2003 we also had the first mother and daughter serve together in Parliament with Janet Mackey and Moana Mackey. That year also saw Hon Margaret Wilson become our first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives. Today we need to honour those who have led our legislative processes. I salute our three women Governor-Generals: Dame Catherine Tizard Dame Silvia Cartwright and Dame Patsy Reddy. I also particularly salute our three women Prime Ministers: Rt Hon Dame Jenny Shipley Rt Hon Helen Clark and Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern our first Prime Minister to become a mother in office and only the second world leader to become a mother in office. History has taught us that more women in the political process leads to better outcomes for women. Better outcomes for women are better for families and communities and ultimately better for our democracy. I salute members of this House today for championing better opportunities for women for championing issues such as equal pay and women's safety from violence. I see that the Rt Hon Helen Clark was the 17th woman MP and we now have our 150th woman MP in this House. We can see that we have made rapid progress. We now have 48 women members of Parliament: 40 percent—SPEAKER: Order! Can the member wind up?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: —yes—and the highest level of representation for women ever. We must continue to push for more diversity in our Parliament and also at local government level. I may need to say to my own son as he grows up "Yes men can be Prime Minister too. We had some several years back." Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tatou katoa."