PWC has been working at pace this calendar year coordinating the NWCNZ submissions process: researching opportunities, distributing Action Items, editing and lodging written submissions, and supporting oral submissions. As I type this update the 20th written submission for 2025 is in progress, with the Education Action Hub responding to the Proposal to replace NCEA. NCWNZ submissions are made publically available on our website, see Submissions - National Council of Women of New Zealand.

In addition, our oral submissions will total seven. The very recent three are:

• the Economic Independence Action Hub on the People's Select Committee on Pay Equity (see separate article by Rosemary Du Plessis);
• the Safety Health and Wellbeing Action Hub on the Healthy Future (Pae Ora Amendment Bill (S25.19 on the website), and
• the Online Safety Coalition (convened by NCWNZ) on the Inquiry into the harm young New Zealanders encounter online (see S25.17 on the website).

In May, PWC designed and facilitated Submission Writing training, with two online workshops each of two hours duration. The design and delivery team were Julie Thomas, Bernice Williams, Nicky Newton, Beryl Anderson, Amandine Chabier and Mathilde Jaulin. Katie Thomas presented on behalf of the Board. There were approximately twelve participants and the feedback received was positive. After the workshops participants received the resources including writing guides, PowerPoint presentation summaries and a shortened voice-over recording of slides on the submissions process. Two participants have continued with a plan to develop as writers and others found it a useful refresher.  If you are a member with an interest in writing submissions, you can request access to relevant resources through PWC.

We are also fortunate to have Riikka Anderson join the PWC team. Riikka is the General Manager of the YMCA Hamilton and is passionate about gender equity and diversity. She has been a member of the NCWNZ Hamilton branch for several years including as Branch Secretary and is on the Online Safety Coalition.

Please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions.

Julie Thomas
PWC Convenor

To read more articles from  The Circular (July-August 2025) issue 653, click on the tag below.