It runs on a two-yearly election cycle and within our rules we’re only allowed a maximum of two terms. There was an election process at our AGM on November 21 and that was when Sandra Matthews from Tairāwhiti (Gisborne) was announced as president and stepped into the role,
Q. Have you had time to reflect on your time in the top position?
There’s been a lot of that going on lately. Oh my goodness, it’s been such an honour and an incredible experience to lead Rural Women New Zealand. The role encompasses so much it’s really hard to summarise. It’s everything from meeting our members across the country and supporting the charitable work they do, to working with our regional teams, to advocating on behalf of rural communities with government and other stakeholders, to a presence on a global stage with women’s groups. It’s massive. It’s just so inspiring including all our wonderful rural business women who we celebrated recently with our business awards. There’s some amazing things happening out there in our rural communities and truly diverse businesses. It’s incredible, it really is. Empowering our rural women and providing connection points for them, that’s what we’re all about and it’s a real privilege to have been able to lead the organisation in that for the last four years.
Q. Are you remaining a member?
It’s been a huge part of my life. I’ve been involved for a very long time and I will definitely continue my involvement.
It’s just a matter of stepping back from the board and that president’s role. Otherwise I’ll be more involved locally at an Otago-Southland level. We’ve got our centenary coming up next year and because we’re a nationwide organisation and have so many members, there’s going to be lots of celebrating to be done over 12 months and lots of planning is going on now for that. We’ve got an amazing history and an amazing legacy.
Q. Can you tell me about that?
It’s been incredible. It was started by a few women who went to the Farmers’ Union meeting in Wellington and they thought they really wanted to do something about the isolation that faced women and the needs that they had in their homes at that time and just to bring women together and to advocate for women at that time. They were real trailblazers and we really need to build on that and continue that legacy that they created. It’s an incredible history.
Q. What are you proudest of during your tenure?
What I am proudest of is our response and how our members came together during adverse events, particularly Cyclone Gabrielle and recent floods in South Otago and Southland. Our members’ response was so huge and so caring and so supportive of anyone in difficulty during that time. They were amazing. I’m also really proud of the work that we do in that advocacy front for rural communities and it’s for the whole rural community. It’s broader than industry. Our business awards and activator sessions empowers women in business in New Zealand and showcases them.
Q. Any other highlights?
A real special highlight was being part of a global organisation called Associated Country Women of the World. Every three years they have a world conference and I attended the last one, which was in Kuala Lumpur last year, and presented a couple of resolutions around women’s employment plans, gender impact analysis and rule proofing analysis to about 500 like-minded women. That was a very, very proud moment.
Q. Where were you originally from and what is your connection to farming?
I was born and raised on a sheep and beef farm just out of Invercargill. My mum and dad were both heavily involved in the community. I moved up to Central Otago, got married and [sheep and beef] farmed in Becks with my husband for just short of 40 years and moved to a lifestyle block just outside of Alex about five years ago. We’ve got a son farming in Western Southland and another one up in Canterbury working in the irrigation field and a daughter in Australia working on the grain side of things.
Q. Do you have more spare time now that you’ve stepped down from the top job? If so, what will you be doing with it?
It’s only been a couple of days but there will be more spare time and I will be spending more time in Alexandra because we [she and her husband Dave] only moved here five years ago. It would be nice to actually spend some more time here because I’m away so much and just do a bit more around Alex, which will be really lovely and catch up with friends and family and that kind of thing. There will still be some involvement at a national level with Rural Women and being fully supportive of the new board and new president — they’ll do an amazing job, they really will.
