1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: And we've got ourselves another open letter. What a week 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: for open letters, it's been eye This one's from the 3 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: fifty former athletes. They want a review of Sport New 4 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,959 Speaker 1: Zealand's transgender guidelines. They argue it's about fairness. The Sports Minister, 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: Chris Bishop is with us. Very good morning to you. 6 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 2: Good morning. 7 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: They got a point. 8 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I've read the letter. I think they make 9 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 2: some fair points and we are considering updating the guidelines. 10 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: The major point I think they make, which I think 11 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 2: has some merit to it, is that the guidelines don't 12 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 2: say anything at the moment about fens. So it's a 13 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: document based all around inclusion and that's really important because 14 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 2: we want everyone on a out of their gender or 15 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: how they identify, to be able to participate in community sport. 16 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: That is really important. We've also got to get the 17 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 2: balance right between making sure that people feel like they 18 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 2: can participate, but also that there's fairness in the sports 19 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: and safety for people participating as well. And I think 20 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: the document could be updated to better reflect what I 21 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: think the community expects from that. So for having to 22 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 2: think about that, and you know, once we've got a 23 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: position on that, we'll take. 24 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: It forward, would Sport new Zealand agree with you or not? 25 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: Well, Sport new Zealand is a government department that reports 26 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: to me and they're required to give effect to government policy. 27 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: So if I asked them to update the guidelines, they 28 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 2: will have to do that. These were developed under the 29 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: last government. And to be fair to them, that many 30 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,039 Speaker 2: sports have asked for guidelines. They're grappling with the very 31 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: tricky issue about how your balance inclusion and fairness and 32 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: safety and all of the issues that go with participation 33 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 2: of transgender people in community sports. So sports want the guidelines. 34 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: We've just got to make sure the guidelines strike the 35 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 2: right balance. 36 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: The best point they make is about self identification. That's 37 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: the beginning of the middle and the end of it. 38 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: That's not good enough, is it. 39 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean lots of sports already have policies in 40 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: relation to this. So for example, Triathlon New Zealand has 41 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:57,000 Speaker 2: specifically adopted a code which has established an open category 42 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: which anyone can participate in, including transgender people. For New 43 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: Zealand Rugby League has a policy that at age thirteen 44 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: and over, participants have to participate in the gender they're 45 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 2: assigned at birth. So sports, some sports are doing this 46 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: quite well and are grappling with it. Others are sort 47 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 2: of yet to kind of turn their mind to it 48 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: particularly comprehensively, and the guidelines will help in doing that. 49 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 2: And look they're not mandatory either. That's the other point 50 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 2: to make is they're just guidelines. So they're just it's 51 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: meant to be this helpful guidance for sports to use 52 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 2: as they navigate through this issue. So I met with 53 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 2: Save Women's Sport Australasia yesterday. Their clear request was that 54 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: we update the guidelines. They've given me this letter signed 55 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: by the serial gust group of olympians and former athletes, 56 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 2: and you know we can have a good look at 57 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,679 Speaker 2: the letter and you know we're listening to what the 58 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: community has to say and once we've got some more 59 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: to say, we'll do that. 60 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 1: And once you do, let me know appreciate up Sports 61 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: Minister Chris Bishop. 62 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 63 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 2: news talks there'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 64 00:02:58,400 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.