Election Survey: Lynette Vigrass (Greens)

Lynette Vigrass is the Green candidate for Rimutaka, and number 31 on the Green Party list. Her responses to questions 1, 5 and 11 can be found below, along with a link to the Green party's combined response to questions two through nine. And here's a full index of all candidate responses to date.

The Questions & Answers
Question 1. What do you believe is currently the single biggest issue facing New Zealand women, and how would you like to address it if you are elected?
I am dismayed by the ongoing sexual exploitation of women in advertising, on television programmes (and often linked with violence), in public events like the "boobs on bikes" parade etc. Titillation is the name of the game, not a wholesome acceptance of the human body, as evidenced by the disapproval often faced by breastfeeding mothers - despite breasts being on display everywhere in ads, tv, billboards etc.

Promoting breastfeeding, including feeding toddlers, needs to gain acceptance and recognition as the right way to feed a baby.

The Green party response to questions 2 to 9 is here, however Lynette has chosen to add her own answer to question 5, below.

Question 5. Those who do the caring work in our society, paid and unpaid, are often the least recognized and the lowest paid, and they work the longest hours. What do you see as the priority to address these issues for those caring for our sick, our elderly and our children?
Most care work is the work that women traditionally did for nowt, and still do! When my mother was terminally ill we could not have managed without the home caregivers who came to shower her, feed her and provide company when I was at work. Their pay was absolutely shocking and in addition they had to provide their own car and petrol. As a result none of them lasted long. We need to fight for the recognition that caring for others, with or without a qualification, is far more important work than many of the jobs that command high salaries!

We need training programmes, vastly increased rates of pay and recognition for the important service caregivers provide

Question 11. Do you have any further comments that you wish to make about the role of women in our society? Please feel free to share your thoughts here.
A quote from an anorexic young woman I know: " When we were growing up our mothers told us we could do anything. But some of us translated that as we should do everything."
Many women just burn themselves out.