PRESS RELEASE

Media Release: Rural Women Go To Town

21 February 2002
For immediate release.

Sixteen members of the rural women's group, Rural Women New Zealand, arrived in Wellington on Tuesday 19 March for the organisation's annual 'Wellington Experience'. The event is sponsored by Landcorp and is held every year as a leadership-training course.

The women are newly elected office holders from all around New Zealand and they spend three days in the Capital visiting decision-makers and attending training workshops.

"While the Wellington Experience is run primarily to train leaders within our own organisation, it is also intended to introduce rural women to the political environment," says Executive Officer, Elizabeth Mende. "Rural women are under-represented on decision-making bodies, and lack of confidence and training is part of the reason."

While in Wellington the women met Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Jim Sutton, as well as representatives from the offices of the Ministers of Health and Economic Development. They also visited Parliament to see the Select Committees in progress and met representatives from the Meat Industry Association and NZ Police. Landcorp hosted the women at lunch on Thursday, before they returned home.

End

Contacts:
Elizabeth Mende Tess Casey
Executive Officer Communications Officer
Ph: 04 473 5524 Ph: 04 473 5524 or 021 133 4550