My Account
Student loan repayments and KiwiSaver, the gender pay gap at retirement and climate change are just some of the many topics that will be debated at the 54th annual conference of the NZ Federation of Business & Professional Women (BPW) in Warkworth this month.
More than 80 women from throughout New Zealand are expected to attend the three-day event, which starts on Friday, April 20. The theme is Past, Present and Future and the moderator will be Children’s Minister and long-standing BPW member, Tracey Martin.
Warkworth BPW club president Sally Smith says a busy and interesting programme has been arranged. The business sessions will be held in the Mahurangi College auditorium, while the Conference Dinner will be held at the Warkworth Town Hall.
National BPW president, Hellen Swales, of Wellington, will be in Warkworth for the conference.
The Friday night speaker at the Awards Dinner will be Professor Jennifer Curtin, who is currently engaged in a project that examines women’s political leadership and cabinet representation in four Westminster countries, including NZ. She will speak on the future for women and girls, and their opportunities.
Saturday’s programme will feature a panel discussion on the topic of inter-generational leadership.
Several local women will participate, including former Mahurangi College student Julia Caulfield and senior BPW Warkworth member Mona Townson.
Other panelists will be Kidscoin founder Brittany Teei and NZ Leadership Institute development manager Dr Sue Watson.
Sally says she is particularly looking forward to the Sunday address by Prue Kapua (Ngati Whakaue/Te Arawa/Ngati Kahungunu), who is the immediate past president of the Maori Women’s Welfare League.
“I’ve heard her speak before on the subject of colonisation in the NZ context and her talks are always very thought-provoking.”
Sally hopes the conference will raise the profile of the Warkworth chapter, which has been operating for more than 30 years.
She says BPW offers women the opportunity for personal development, networking and to be involved in a range of issues at a local, regional, national and even international level.
Warkworth BPW meets on the second Wednesday of the month, at the Salty Dog Inn in Snells Beach.
Info: warkworth@bpwnz.org.nz or 021 425 407. New members welcome.
