Yes To Gay Bill, No To Tour (Press, 2 July 1985)
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Summary: Yes To Gay Bill, No To Tour (Press, 2 July 1985)
On 2 July 1985, the Women’s Electoral Lobby (W.E.L.) held its tenth national conference in Hamilton, where it expressed firm support for the Homosexual Law Reform Bill and opposed the All Blacks’ tour of South Africa. The conference attracted around 70 delegates who unanimously endorsed both positions. Dorothy Wilson, the national co-ordinator from Auckland, highlighted that W.E.L. has advocated for homosexual law reform since 1976, framing the issue as a matter of human rights and individual sexual identity. Additionally, Wilson stated that the lobby’s opposition to the All Blacks’ tour was also rooted in human rights concerns, arguing that supporting the tour would only reinforce white supremacy in South Africa. The conference resulted in several other resolutions, including a call to address the growing pornography industry. W.E.L. sought amendments to the Human Rights Act 1977 to safeguard women from defamation linked to pornography. Delegates also recognised the importance of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and expressed their intention to promote self-defence courses for girls in schools, alongside efforts to legislate against sexual harassment. The organisation urged the government to enact a law banning nuclear weapons from entering New Zealand. One prominent delegate, Jenny Simpson, a councillor and farmer from Inglewood, was set to represent New Zealand at the United Nations End of Decade conference for women in Nairobi from 15 July to 2 August. She intended to address issues concerning rural women and violence against women, drawing from her extensive background in women's affairs, including her former role as the national president of the Young Farmers’ Club and her participation in establishing the Ministry of Women’s Affairs.
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