Women's Commission

Women's Commissions' first priority was a Women's Rights Action Committee to implement the rather vague and hitherto unactioned NZUSA policy on women's rights and to coordinate the activity of women's rights groups. W.R.A.C. has been set up with a budget of $1,000 from NZUSA, The budget is likely to be used mainly on travel, if it's going to have five meetings a year, unless constituents fund some of them.

Women's Commission recommended that all students associations provide maternity leave and day care for staff. We made policy on rape, support for 'lesbian liberation', against anomalies in the Equal Pay Act and revamped the birth control policy (including abortion). NZUSA now fully supports WONAAC.

The establishment of a Women's Commission as a permanent feature of NZUSA councils provoked friction. Not to mention acrimony. Which is not to mention outright hostility. We passed it back to constituents for further blood letting. When the results are known they are to be taken to an SGM of NZUSA for a decision before next council - expect a motion on this at SRC soon.

The Victoria delegation found itself voting on a liberal interpretation of the general SRC policy opposing discrimination on the basis of race, culture sex or sexuality. Most other campus' were in a similar position. This is a rotten position for a delegation to be in. We are supposed to be putting the policy of our association. Our association has however felt so strongly about women's position in society that it has policy only on abortion, women's studies courses and dexist terminology in meetings. We found ourselves sitting at council, in a joyous clique working out what SRC would say if it ever bothered with the issue. Maybe the setting up of a Women's Rights Officer would cause a vast new rash of student feeling. We have a W.R.O. on our books but the position is unfilled. We have no policy on rape, on women in employment and none on child care. Unless there is a sudden upsurge of interest, a permanent Women's Commission at Council is likely to find itself drafting policies in smoked filled rooms for an uncaring student mass. It might be appropraite to call that paternalism.