Dean Jacqui: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDean Jacqui: General Debate[Sitting date: 17 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9452. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): It is ironic is is it not that Helen Kelly Sue Moroney and others are so ready to discriminate against the appointment to the role of Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner of Dr Jackie Blue just because she is a soon-to-be former member of Parliament and member of a political party. Should that disqualify her from being able to step aside from party politics and assume a neutral role? Do these same women hold that view about maybe H V Ross Robertson who leaves his Opposition party bench to sit in the Speaker’s Chair and preside over Parliament? Well he can do it he can be neutral but Jackie Blue cannot? Eric Roy can do it he can be neutral but Jackie Blue cannot? Lindsay Tisch can do it he can be neutral but Jackie Blue cannot? And what about Helen Clark? Under those same rules is she therefore unable to hold a neutral position at the United Nations? Do these people even think these things through?But it is quite different for them of course is it not because when Labour was in power there were many many appointments of Labour luvvies. Does anyone remember Dianne Yates? Lovely woman—Hon Trevor Mallard: No!JACQUI DEAN: No they said from the other side—no they said from the other side. Not even her Labour mates remember her. Does anyone remember Dame Ann Hercus? Does anyone remember Mike Williams? Does anyone remember Helen Kelly?How convenient for them now to discredit Jackie Blue’s years of cross-party work—those 8 years in Parliament of cross-party work on a number of issues three or four I think including her advocacy of women—her very very clear advocacy of women—and her strong unforgettable and successful campaign for the funding of Herceptin. What a triumph that was for Jackie Blue—something to be so very proud of. And where were the Labour women where were the Green women in 2005 and where were the New Zealand First women—were there any in 2005? There might have been. Where were they in 2005 when Jackie Blue was calling on the then Labour Government to helpsave the lives of breast cancer sufferers with the funding of Herceptin? Where were they? They were silent.Hon Annette King: We funded Herceptin.JACQUI DEAN: Oh they are talking now. They are talking the talk now but they were silent when it really mattered. In terms of making a contribution Dr Jackie Blue has done more in this House than most. So Helen Kelly Sue Moroney Metiria Turei—it is so easy is it not to pull someone down to denigrate their work and to doubt their motives just because they do not come from your side of the political spectrum. Well I say thank goodness for strong women at any time in history—RIP Maggie Thatcher—in any Parliament whether it is in the United Kingdom it might be in the Pacific parliaments or here in New Zealand who are prepared to have a view who are prepared to stand up for what matters to them and who like Dr Jackie Blue want to act in a role to provide equal opportunities for all of us.This week we welcome parliamentarians from all around the Pacific to our Parliament. This is the first time such a significant number of Pacific MPs and political leaders have assembled together to discuss the key issues facing the Pacific region. The forum is a good opportunity for us to develop networks with our Pacific colleagues. Although many Pacific Island countries have a pool of well-educated women who are already leaders in their fields women’s participation in these parliaments varies from a high of 44 percent—not so bad—to three countries who have no women parliamentarians. Would it not be great to encourage and assist women to conduct successful election campaigns and to become effective MPs? We need strong women in all of our parliaments so let us celebrate and encourage and not try to pull each other down just for the hell of it. Thank you.