1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Write. A New Member's Bill by New Zealand First will 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: aim to define men and women. The bill wants to 3 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: codify sex based language, defining a woman is an adult 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: human biological female and a man as an adult human 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: biological male. It comes as Britain's highest court ruled that 6 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: only biological and not trans women meet a definition of 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: a woman under equity laws save Women's Sport Australasia. New 8 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: Zealand spokeswoman wrote Edge joins me now, good morning, Row, 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: thanks for your time, Well, good morning. Are you happy 10 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: with this bill? Is there anything you'd change? 11 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 2: No, I think it's much needed, you know. The Zealand 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 2: First Members Bill aims to ensure legal clarity on the 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 2: definition of a man and a woman, but in reality 14 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 2: its purpose is to protect the sex based rights of women. 15 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 2: Now globally, it's been recognized, and we saw this in 16 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: the UK last week that gender identity should not override 17 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: sex based provisions and protections. And so what this bill 18 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: does is it reinforces the urgent need for the likes 19 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: of support New Zealand to prioritize and protect venus and 20 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 2: safeties of biological females because we place thought with our 21 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 2: bodies not our identities. 22 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: Okay, so we make this definition, but we don't actually 23 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: know how this bill would apply to other legislation yet, 24 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: do we know. 25 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 2: I think what it's about is ensuring that there is 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: that when women are referred to and men are referred 27 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 2: to in legislation and policy, that it is the biological 28 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: reality that is referred to. So you know, we see 29 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: with our Ministry for Women at the moment the definition 30 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 2: of woman as anyone who identifies as one. Well, it's 31 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: circular reasoning. I mean, what is a woman? Even Chris 32 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 2: Hipkins couldn't answer that, and why he might not deem 33 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: this as being a priority. Males competing and female thought 34 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: was actually the most of post social issue leading into 35 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 2: the last election, according to Labour's own posters. So would 36 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 2: suggest that given when he was asked as High Prime Minister, 37 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 2: like what is a woman and he couldn't answer it, 38 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 2: it's a great example of why this legislation is so 39 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: desperately needed. 40 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: What does this mean for trans people? I mean you 41 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: can't just ignore them. 42 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: No, this isn't about being anti anyone. It's about ensuring 43 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: the rights of women and girls are protected in law, 44 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 2: and these rights thoughtful by women over many generations and 45 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 2: some very valid reasons. We want everybody to be included, 46 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 2: like for instance, in sport because of the mental and 47 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,519 Speaker 2: physical health benefits it brings, but it needs to be 48 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: in the category of their biological sex because otherwise it 49 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: raises fenness and safety issues. 50 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: But couldn't we have that discussion without having to go 51 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: through this sort of process of throughing this definition into legislation. 52 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 2: We have been trying to have this discussion for over 53 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 2: five years now and we've got absolutely nowhere. And what 54 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: we've seen is gender ideology completely capture our bureaucrats, our 55 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 2: policy and everything, and so women have had no rights 56 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 2: to speaking up. Now we've tried to, we've been labeled 57 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 2: bigots and TERFs and every other thing under the sun, 58 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: including Nazis. We haven't had this conversation. So you know, 59 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 2: this legislation is all being all about getting back to 60 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 2: some common sense. 61 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 1: Right, what are some of the current issues with women 62 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: in sport at the moment. 63 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: So we have males participating in women's and girls' sport 64 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: from while we're aware from intermediate level and above what's 65 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 2: happening as women are either self excluding, which is appalling 66 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,119 Speaker 2: because we already have such a dramatic drop off rate 67 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 2: of females participation in sports through their teenage years. We're 68 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 2: seeing it in club sports and community sorts across the board. 69 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: You know, if this was really just about allowing everyone 70 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: to participate, there are mixed sex teams in nearly every 71 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 2: sport available in most communities, and so anyone can participate 72 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 2: in that. But what we're seeing is male advantage in 73 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 2: female sport, and when you include that, it excludes women. 74 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: Mett's members, Bill Rowe, do you think you know there's 75 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: a chance that this will never be heard. 76 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 2: Well, I hope it will be, and I hope if 77 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 2: it's told from the ballot that National and Act will 78 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: support it, given by far the majority of their voters 79 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 2: according to our polling. Do but mind you Soda, Labor 80 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: and Green voters. So this is the irony. It's not 81 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: a left versus right issue, despite what the politicians say. 82 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 2: This is a right versus wrong issue, as by far 83 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: the majority of New Zealand is every political persuasion know 84 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: that males competing in female sport is wrong, Males and 85 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: female changing rooms is wrong. We just need to get 86 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: back to some common sense and make sure that we 87 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 2: create spaces where everyone feels welcome and comfortable ro. 88 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: Each Thanks so much for your time this morning. For 89 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to 90 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,799 Speaker 1: News Talks at B from five am weekdays, or follow 91 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio