Te Aka Wāhine o Tāmaki Auckland GWN Turns 5
Auckland GWN looks back on the people and achievements of its first five years
Written by Virginia Fordham, Auckland GWN Coordinator
With the support of GWN, Auckland GWN was launched in March 2016 with Jo Hacking (MBIE) as the inaugural Chair. The shared vision of GWN and AGWN is that New Zealand’s public service values all women and champions and empowers them to realise their full potential.
We now have over 1000 members of Te Aka Wāhine o Tāmaki from over 50 different agencies. Bi-monthly newsletters help us connect with our members notifying them of events, news and profiles of women from across the sector.
The Auckland Women’s Network Representatives have come together this year to connect, share knowledge and support women’s networks within agencies. Together we aim to work to advance public sector goals for women.
Throughout our five-year journey, Auckland GWN has provided networking and upskilling opportunities as well as inspiring speakers at our events and seminar series. Recent highlights include our collaborations with Air NZ, NZDF Women’s Infrastructure Network, the Gender Pay Gap Taskforce, the Auckland Art Gallery and our annual Summit events. Our amazing speakers often donate their time, a tribute to the growing visibility and influence of our network and, in turn, public service women have benefited greatly from their generosity.
In 2020, Covid-19 presented the opportunity for usto upskill our event delivery platforms and our new virtual events and seminars mean we can reach more people than ever. Collaborting with GWN, we have developed several Quick Guides on topics like mentoring, leadership development and most recently on ‘Men as Allies ,’ a theme, which will also feature in the Auckland Women in the Public Sector Summit in June. We are also developing our Māori and Pacific strategy to be finalised this year. Luella Linaker, AGWN’s Māori advisor, has been an invaluable resource in gathering information and experiences from our Māori and Pacific wāhine to inform this important strategy.
We’d like to thank all who have been involved in every aspect of Te Aka Wāhine o Tāmaki’s māhi and to the network of women who have supported us along the way. We will continue to work to ensure women have the resources to flourish and be part of creating a diverse and inclusive public service.
Auckland GWN relies on the participation, support and leadership of the chair and komiti members who volunteer their time and skills. As of March 2021, the Auckland GWN komiti has been led by:
- Jo Hacking (MBIE)
- Anmar Taufeek (Auckland Council)
- Angela Lam (DIA)
- Maria Halligan (IRD)
- Anita Edwards (MOJ)
Ngā mihi mahana to these amazing wāhine toa for their vision, passion and leadership... and here’'s to the next 5 years!
AGWN Komiti members Claire Richardson, Maria Halligan, Angela Lam, Anmar Taufeek, Anita Edwards and Cheyle Mikaere