Editorial: Man-ban not the way to go for Labour

It's admirable that the Labour Party wants to lift the proportion of women in its caucus to 50 per cent.

The party this week released proposed new rules which would: set a target of 45 per cent of women in caucus after next year's election and 50 per cent after the 2017 election; allow Local Electorate Committees to ask the NZ Council to determine only women can seek selection as candidate; and establish a List Moderating Committee to ensure the correct ratio of women is likely to get into Parliament and ensure the list represents Maori, ethnic groups, the disabled, sexual orientation and age groups.

Admirable idea, but surely the wrong way to go about it.

Labour voters should have confidence that their local candidate is the best person to represent them, and has the best possible chance of winning the electorate seat, and they should feel slighted if any viable candidates are banned from selection.

If Labour wants to do this right, it needs to start at the beginning.

It needs to ask why so few women are electorate MPs (eight of its 22) in the first place. Is it because fewer women are stepping up to be nominated? What's holding them back, and what can be done about ensuring there are more quality women putting their hands up?

This is an issue bigger than just Labour - and it would be good to see a multi-party approach come up with a solution.

A divisive issue is also the last thing Labour needs right now. It will go to the vote at the party's annual conference in November, less than a year out from the 2014 general election.

From here on in the party should be demonstrating strong leadership, unity and a dedication to its issues and its electorate.

While gender equality should be one of those issues, the party could make a much bigger difference on the issues it cares about were it to knuckle down and retake the reins of power.