Tautoko to Tamatha Paul

Tautoko to Tamatha Paul and everyone else working hard to ameliorate authorities’ immediate and ongoing responses to crisis and emergency – whether due to violence, other crimes, and/or health emergencies including mental distress. 

Many individuals and communities have reason not to trust the police, including many women experiencing family violence, sexual violence or other forms of gender violence (as outlined by the Backbone Collective and Hohou Te Rongo Kahukura report Make It About Us and other reports). Structural racism and ongoing colonisation mean wāhine Māori, for example, have reason to be concerned their children may be uplifted if they seek assistance from the authorities to be safe from a violent co-parent.  

It is vital to acknowledge people have reason to distrust the police, so that we as a nation can look at how we can better support every community and whānau to be safe and flourish. 

Auckland Women’s Centre’s “Aotearoa Free From Stalking” team has interacted with a number of politicians about the upcoming anti-stalking legislation, including Tamatha in her capacity as Green Party police spokesperson. We have appreciated and been impressed by Tamatha’s integrity, her interest, her questions, her graceful challenges and her willingness to listen and engage. Aotearoa New Zealand is fortunate to have Tamatha in Parliament. Among other things, she helping to voice concerns of communities who have already been silenced in other ways.  

As misogynistic attacks increase on women contributing to and leading public discourse – particularly on wāhine Māori leaders – we are deeply dismayed and concerned that other politicians have attacked Tamatha personally, for doing her job, and doing it well. This is not conducive to healthy democracy or social inclusion. Having differing views is part of politics – but play the ball, not the player. Be constructive.  

Auckland Women’s Centre strives for a world where women and all of us – regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and location – can go about our lives and contribute to public debate, free from violence, harassment and stalking. 

Such a world requires progressive leadership to support marginalised communities and those who speak with them. Thank you to all those who are showing us what this looks like, including Tamatha.