Greens set Cabinet gender quota
Stuff reports:
The Green Party will ensure half of its Cabinet ministers are women if it becomes part of the next Government, co-leader James Shaw says.
What if they have an odd number of Ministers? Do they cut one in half?
And what if they have more qualified women than men? Are they saying men will be promoted into Cabinet ahead of women?
Their current rankings are:
- Metiria Turei
- James Shaw
- Kevin Hague
- Eugenie Sage
- Gareth Hughes
- Catherine Delahunty
- Kennedy Graham
- Julie-Anne Genter
- Mojo Mathers
- Jan Logie
- David Clendon
- Denise Roche
- Steffan Browning
- Marama Davidson
So if the Greens got eight positions, then Mojo Mathers and Jan Logie would have to miss out to Kennedy Graham, even if they were seen as stronger contenders. So quotas can work against those they seek to help.
He moved to head off criticism of the policy on the grounds that hiring should be based on merit, calling it “a virtuous aspiration that usually causes more harm than good” and led to men being chosen over equally or more talented women.
Actually female MPs in National are more likely to make Cabinet than National ones. Only 27% of the caucus are female yet 30% of the cabinet.
Now you could argue for a female quota for caucus, but if Labour had properly implemented its gender quota last election, then Andrew Little would have got a lower list place and not even be an MP, let alone leader. Quotas remove flexibility.